Cindrella
by SilverCyanide5689
Summary: things might get complicated
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Sorry it's been so long, college is a life suck, but the end of the semester is coming up, so I have a little bit more time on my hands now, plus, even when it wasn't a life suck, I couldn't think up a good plot. But, I think I have one, I'm hoping to update this one every day, but until my break before summer school, I'd be happy with once a week. LOL. Please review and all that jazz. :)

I sat in the attic, laying on my bed, staring at the ceiling, waiting for it.

"REBECCA! GET DOWN HERE NOW!"

There it was.

The voice echoed up the stairs.

I rolled myself out of bed, literally. I slowly walked downstairs. As I reached the bottom, I ducked, narrowly avoiding a glass plate being thrown at me. (dishes, or anything, being thrown at me for that matter was nothing new.)

"Yes ma'am?" I asked.

"Get the breakfast cleaned up. Clean up that plate, and then do the rest of your chores." She demanded.

"Yes ma'am." I said, beginning to clean the kitchen.

"Oh, and one more thing?" She asked, too sweetly for comfort.

"Yes ma'am?" I said facing her, fully aware of what was coming.

SMACK. Her hand went across my face, leaving a red hand print. I held back the tears, and continued to do my chores.

Her twin girls just giggled in the background. Victoria and Jessica. Sixteen years old, blonde hair, blue eyes, and exactly like their mother. I was like mine, who I missed more and more each day, and like my father, who I also missed more and more each day, but was not quite as close to him as I was my mother, so it was a different kind of "missing him" if that makes sense.

Their mother, Victoria and Jessica all left the house, leaving me, alone. The way I liked it. It didn't matter how fast I worked, as long as the work was complete. Unlike when they were home, if I wasn't fast enough, I got hit, harder than that previous time a few moments ago. The only problem, they left me alone, to walk to school, five miles. So I was always late, and could never explain to my teachers why I was late. Oh well, I had five miles to come up with an excuse.

I walked into school, dirty and grimy, and had a thin layer of soot on me, it was Monday, so I had to clean the fireplace, which they burned; just to give me something to clean. I waited until my teacher was facing the blackboard to walk into class, hoping I could slip in before she turned around. Sadly, Victoria was in the class with me.

The moment I sat down.

"Miss Thompson, Rebecca is here." She said sarcastically.

Miss Thompson turned around. "Thanks Victoria, but next time I need a tattle-tale, I'll go downtown to the Elementary School and find my niece, okay?"

The class laughed, and I couldn't help but smile. "I do," Miss Thompson said, "Want to talk to you after class though, okay Rebecca?"

I nodded, and put my head down on the wooden desk. Maybe I could get some sleep, before the evening chores, which were anything but easy.

I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Mom?" I asked still half-asleep.

"No." Miss Thompson said.

"Oh, sorry." I said now fully aware of my surroundings.

"You live with Victoria and Jessica don't you?"

"Sadly, yes."

"You related?"

"No. Their my step-sisters."

"Hm."

"Did you need something?" I asked coldly.

"I just wanna know, how things are at home."

"Fine."

"Honey, I can't help, unless you let me help."

"I don't need help."

"Here." She said. Handing me some wet-wipes, "Wipe yourself."

I looked at her weird. "I have a four year old foster child I'm taking care of, I buy wet-wipes like they're my religion."

"Oh, you're a foster parent?"

"Sorta, yeah. I'm just doing it as a one time deal, the state was desperate, and when they get desperate, the first people they look to, is teachers."

"Oh."

"So, tell me what a normal day at home is like."

"Why?"

"I'm curious."

I shrugged. "Average, I guess."

"So, why so dirty?"

"I just didn't have time to shower."

"Honey, this is an everyday occurrence."

I wiped the wrong side of my face with the wet wipe.

"Whoa. Whoa. Whoa." Miss Thompson said.

"What?"

"Who hit you?"

"Nobody."

"So, you hit yourself?"

"No, that was the side of my face I was sleeping on."

"No, that mark is bruising, you would need heavy contact to do that, I'm surprised the wind wasn't knocked out of you when...whoever, hit you. Also, that pile of drool on my desk would be on the opposite side, if you were laying on that side of your face."

I raised an eyebrow.

"I used to be a medical examiner."

"So, why a teacher?"

"I like living people more than dead people."

"Oh. Can I go?"

"Not yet."

"What?" I asked angrily.

"Honey, I get it."

"Get what?"

"What you're going through."


	2. Chapter 2

"I'm sure you do." I said sarcastically, leaving the room before Miss Thompson could say anything else.

As I walked out, a boy, who I had seen before in the hall, but didn't know very well, walked in.

I think his name is Henry.

"Miss Thompson?" He asked.

"Yeah?"

"My brother said you were looking for me?"

"Yep." She said. "Rebecca, go to class, Henry sit down." She said pointing to the seat I was in a few moments ago.

Henry was cute, but I had no time for dating.

The rest of my classes were fine, none of my teachers cared why I was dirty, they just looked at me with a raised eyebrow, I wondered in the back of my mind what Miss Thompson wanted Henry for.

I got home, Victoria and Jessica, and their mother beat me home. Like always, I was stuck walking. I didn't have any friends, to bum a ride from, plus, I liked walking, it kept me from home longer.

I met my step-mother at the door, with her hands on her hips.

"Yes ma'am?" I asked.

"Victoria said Miss Thompson spoke to you after class today?"

"Yes ma'am. She did." I said, stepping into the house, and sitting on the couch.

"About what?" She demanded.

"Nothing."

SMACK.

"About what?" She demanded again, louder.

I sighed, I couldn't tell her what really happened. "I just have a paper that was late, she wanted to know when I would turn it in."

SMACK. SMACK.

"The first one," She said. "Was for not turning in your paper on time, now I'm going to get a call from that God forsaken school, and have to bail you out, AGAIN! The second one, was for being born!" She said. "Oh, by the way, you're sleeping in the cellar tonight." She said with a smirk.

"Why?"

SMACK.

"Don't ask me why, and because I said so."

I finished my evening chores, it involved anything the three of them could conjure up. I scrubbed the kitchen floor with a toothbrush, cut the backyard's grass with a pair of scissors, (no, I'm not joking.) and cooked dinner. I sat in the cellar, in the empty darkness, dirtier than I was that morning, the only time I received a shower, was when I was lucky enough to get caught in a rainstorm.

Miss Thompson was going to have a ball with me tomorrow.

I walked into her class, late as usual. Victoria just smiled.

I sat in my seat, after class, Miss Thompson didn't tell me she wanted to talk, but I could tell.

"Am I becoming that predictable?" She asked with a smile, handing me a wet-wipe.

"A bit." I said. "Thanks."

"I don't want to know what's going on at home, well; I take that back, I do...but, you're not ready to tell me. So, until you are, we'll leave it as it is. I just want to know one thing."

"Shoot."

"Why can't you make it to my class on time, but Victoria can, didn't you say yesterday that you live together?"

"Yes."

"So, how come?"

I shrugged. "I don't know."

"Alright, you'll tell me when you're ready." She said. "I hope it's soon."

I shrugged.

"Nothing you say will leave this classroom, you know what, right?"

I shrugged.

"Okay. Come with me." She said standing up, and taking my hand.

We walked down the hallway, towards the main office.

"Am I in trouble?" I asked quietly.

"Should you be?" Miss Thompson asked with a smile.

"No."

"Then, what are you worried about?"

Miss Thompson approached the main desk. "Is Principal Oliver in?"

"Yeah, but he's with a student, is it an emergency?"

"No. We can wait. Rebecca, what's your class right now?"

"History of Religion."

"With who?"

"Keener."

"Karen, email Devon for me, tell him I have Rebecca, down here, please?"

"Will do." Karen, the secretary said, facing her computer.

The two of us waited in the chair by Principal Oliver's office. I rubbed my fingers in the dirt and grass stains on my palms.

"Nervous?" She asked.

"A little?"

"How come?"

"Why are we here?" I said tensing.

"I just need to talk to Oliver for a moment, why are you tense?"

I shrugged, I guess it just became a reflex, if a sentence had the word, "why" in it at home, I got hit.

She put her arm around me. She didn't seem to care how dirty, and probably smelly I was. "It's okay, sweetheart."

Principal Oliver motioned for Miss Thompson to come to his office, out of his office walked Henry.

"Henry," She stopped him. "What did you do?"

"Can we talk about it later?" He asked, looking at me, giving me the chills.

"Sure, come to my room after school?"

He nodded and walked off.

Miss Thompson sat down in the chair, and closed the door. Crap.

"You know." Principal Oliver said. "You're good with Henry."

"I know where he's coming from."

"So, what I can do for you?"

"Well, I would like to use the chemical bath, on Rebecca."

"That the girl out there?"

"Yes."

"What's wrong with her?"

"I'm not sure yet. I think something's going on at home, but she won't tell me, and if I push her to tell me, she'll never tell me. I have to let her tell me, when she's ready. But, I know she can't get a shower for whatever reason."

"How often would this be?"

"I don't know, depending on how she looks when she comes in, maybe everyday."

"Are you her first hour?"

"No, I'm her third hour, but she never makes it to school on time. Which is weird, because Victoria and Jessica, both make it on time, Victoria is in the same class as Rebecca and I have Jessica in my first hour."

"Hm." He said. "What about clothing?"

"Again, I don't know if she doesn't have access to it, do to...maybe being well below the poverty line, or..."

"Or, what?"

"To be honest, sir." She said. "I think we have a serious case of abuse on our hands."

"Can you prove it?"

"No, not until she tells me what's going on."

"Maybe, is there a way to indirectly get her to tell you?"

"Maybe. I'll think of something."

"That doesn't solve the issue of clothing for her."

"I'll send her back to class, get a sub to cover my class, it's just study hall, I'll go buy her some."

"Do you want the school credit card?"

"Nope. I'll buy it. Use the credit card to keep the art classes funded."

Miss Thompson exited the office a few minutes later.

"Alright, I need you to go class, I'm going to come back and get you in about forty-five minutes."

"What did you guys talk about?"

"That doesn't matter."

"But, it's my life, and I know you were talking about me."

"Yes. Look, come to my class, after school, and we'll talk."

"You're talking to that Henry guy."

"Our conversations never take more than ten minutes."

"No, I have to get home."

"How do you get home?"

"I walk."

"Where do you live?"

"On Adams."

"By the park?"

"Duh." I said.

"Honey, that's got to be six miles."

"Five and a quarter. I don't have another way."

"What about you're mom?"

"Dead."

"Dad?"

"Dead."

"Who do you live with?"

"My step-mom, Victoria, and Jessica."

"Can't they take you home?"

I laughed. "Yeah right."

"I'll tell ya what, I'll take you home after we talk."

I sighed. "Fine."

Right on cue, forty-five minutes later, Miss Thompson walked into my class.

"Can I borrow Rebecca for about fifteen minutes?"

"Well, she's taking a test."

"I'm done." I said, handing the scan-tron back to my teacher.

"Okay, yeah go, I didn't have anything else planned for today."

I followed Miss Thompson, we walked into the chemistry hallway.

"What's in the bag?" I asked pointing to the bag in Miss Thompson's hand.

"You'll see."

"Come on." She said ushering me into the chemistry lab.

"Why are we in here?" I said getting tense.

"Because, see that shower over there?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

Miss Thompson reached into the shopping bag and pulled out the clothes. "I got what I thought was closest to your size, if they don't fit, we can go get you some more."

I looked at the clothes, looked at the shower, looked at Miss Thompson, and put it all together.

"I can't."

"Sure you can, it's just like a normal shower."

"No, I can't."

Miss Thompson, who was a few inches taller than I was, knelt down in the middle of the chemistry lab, and wiped my tears from my cheek, smearing the dirt on my face. "Why?"

I sighed, I could tell the money for the clothes came out of her own pocket, I couldn't not give her a reason, but I couldn't give her a reason, at the same time.

"It's...just..." I said beginning to cry, she embraced me.

I wasn't crying out of sadness, I was crying out of...well, I don't know. No adult had ever done something that for me, let alone a teacher.

I got out of her embrace, wiped my tears and noticed I had left dirt on her shirt.

"Sorry." I said.

"It's only dirt. Doesn't matter, I have a four year old son, remember?"

"Wait."

"What?" She said wiping my tears again.

"You still call him your son, even though he isn't yours?"

She looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "Well, just because I didn't give birth to him, doesn't mean he isn't mine."

"Hm. I wish my step-mom felt that way."

"In due time." Miss Thompson said.


	3. Chapter 3

"Can I go back to class?"

Miss Thompson looked at me. "Why won't you get a shower, there's no one, I'm not going to watch." She said with a smile.

"I know it's not that, I can't talk about it."

She sighed. "Okay." She set the clothes on the counter nearby and walked out of the room.

I went through the rest of classes. I slowly walked to Miss Thompson's classroom, waiting for Henry to finish his conversation, not really sure why I was going there. But I was.

Henry walked out as I walked in.

"Hey." He said smiling. "Rebecca, right?"

"Yeah."

"I'm Henry."

"Hi." I said shyly.

"Goin to the Fall dance?"

"Probably not."

"Yeah, me either. Dances aren't my thing."

I shrugged.

I walked into Miss Thompson's classroom, she was furiously typing, it looked felt like it was an angry email of some sort, I'd never seen her angry in her life.

"I'm surprised you came." She said not looking up from her screen.

"Yeah."

"So, do you want to talk?"

"Sorta."

"Okay, so; do you like Henry?" She said with a smile.

"Like, what?"

"I don't know. Just, as...whatever."

"Yeah kinda." I said blushing.

She laughed. "I knew it. But, do you trust me?"

I shrugged. "I don't know yet."

"I need you to stay away from Henry, okay?"

"How come, he seems like a nice guy?"

"They all do. I can't tell you, you just need to trust me, okay?"

I nodded.

"So, what else is going on?"

"Nothing."

"Do you know how much money your step-mother makes in a year?"

"Six figures, I know that much."

"What does she do?"

"She's an attorney."

"What kind?"

I shrugged. "We don't really talk about her work much, ya know?"

"True. So, does she hurt you?"

I tensed. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Sweetheart, that's what I was talking to Principal Oliver about."

"What?"

"You."

"I know, but what exactly?"

"Just in general."

"Oh."

"Sweetheart, I know something is going on, and the fact you wouldn't get a shower, makes me think that you're not below the poverty line, and you have access to water, but..."

"No, my step-mother is rich, I AM below the poverty line."

"I see." She said handing me a wet wipe.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"Why do you care?"

"I know where you from."

"No you don't."

Miss Thompson blinked away tears. I could tell she was holding back a secret, something I wasn't sure if I wanted to know or not.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Sorry, just...memories." She looked at the clock. "Why don't I take you home and we can talk tomorrow, I need to go pick up Devon from daycare."

"Yeah, but can you do me a favor?"

She nodded.

"My step-mom is going to ask what we were talking about when she sees me with you. Tell her that you were helping me finish up my late paper, please?"

"Why?"

"Because, that's what I told her the other day when Victoria told her talked after class, if I'm caught lying, I'm screwed."

Miss Thompson nodded. "Yeah."

The two of us sat in her car, quietly, the five miles to my house, seemed a lot longer.

We finally arrived.

As I thought. My step-mother walked out of the house to Miss Thompson's car.

"Where were you?" She demanded.

"Ma'am, I was helping Rebecca finish her paper, we just didn't have any time during the school day."

"Let me see the paper."

"We finished it, so it's at school so that it can be graded." I said quietly.

"Shut up." She said not looking at me. "Next time, let her fail on her own, we both know she isn't going to pass."

Miss Thompson sighed. "Okay, I apologize."

"Yep. Get inside." my step-mother said snapping her fingers.

I got out of the car, Miss Thompson walked to my side of the car. She embraced me tightly. "Here." She said shoving a small piece of paper into my pocket. "Call me. If it gets rough, I'll come get you."

"INSIDE NOW!" My step-mother yelled, dragging me away from Miss Thompson.


	4. Chapter 4

I walked into the house, waiting to get- SMACK, that.

"What was that?"

"What was what, ma'am?"

"That whole thing!"

"Miss Thompson was just helping me with my essay."

"We don't have an essay for her class." Victoria said with a smile.

SMACK. "So, you lied to me?"

"No ma'am. She was helping me with an essay for History class."

"Go to bed." My step-mother yelled.

"Ma'am it's four-thirty."

SMACK. "Have you done your chores?"

"No ma'am. I haven't been home."

SMACK. "Get them done. And then GET TO BED!"

Tonight's chores were not as bad, laundry, and cleaned out the fireplace, it's not Monday, but I was forced to do it, out of spite. After the fireplace, I had to clean the gutters. I didn't mind doing the gutters, it got me outside for a little while.

After all of that, still, no rain. It had been awhile since our last rainfall.

"Ma'am?" I asked coming into the house.

"What?" She demanded. "Do you have everything done?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Good. Go to bed."

"Well, it's just, my teachers are starting to ask questions about why I come to school dirty, I was wondering if I would be okay if I got a shower."

"Nope. Get to bed."

"Yes ma'am."

I sat in the attic bedroom. Glad I wasn't sleeping in the cellar again. I looked around my cubby-hole of a bedroom, for anything to get a little bit of the dirt off of me, there was nothing. Figures.

I reached into my pocket. Saw Miss Thompson's number, and wondered if she was waiting by the telephone for me to call her, it wouldn't surprise me if she was. I didn't want to call her, she doesn't care about me, no one ever has, so why would someone start now? Still, it felt good to know that at least one person was taking an interest in my life.

The next day, my morning chores were more grueling than they normally were. So, I didn't make it to school until lunch time, good thing I didn't miss lunch, it was my only meal a day. I sat by myself, as usual, not a big deal. Miss Thompson approached me.

"Can we talk?"

"I'm sick of talking, but if it'll appease you. Sure."

She sat down next to me. "I want you to do something for me."

"Hm?"

"Now, this was all Professor Oliver's idea, but here's a notebook. I want you to start writing down what happens in your life, since you don't feel that you can talk to me yet, okay?"

"Nope."

"Why?"

"Just, no. If my step-mom were to find it, I'd be screwed."

"So, we'll leave it in my classroom. Just carry it with you all day, and at the end of the day, bring it to me."

"No."

There were other reasons I didn't want to write down my thoughts other than my step-mother finding out, but I wasn't about to get into those, it wasn't that I didn't want her to know, I didn't want to get embarrassed.

"Okay, that's fine. But, here, if you change your mind." She said getting up from the table leaving the notebook and pen. I stared at them.

I got home, normal time, I didn't have anyone to get a ride from, I avoided Miss Thompson's room that afternoon. Which was okay, like I said, walking keeps me away from home longer.

This time it was Victoria that met me at the door.

"Why does Miss Thompson care so much about you, doesn't she have a life?"

"I'm sure she does. She has a kid."

"How do you know?"

"She has pictures on her desk."

"Well, it's just sympathy, because you're an idiot." She said walking off. I met my step-mother's glance, who motioned for me to come to her. I was expecting a smack to the face. Instead she handed me a toothbrush and pointed to the kitchen floor.

"Clean it." She said.

"Yes ma'am."

"By the way, you're in the cellar again tonight."

"Wh-" I caught myself, nodded, and continued my chores.

I sat in the cellar when my chores were done, cold and hungry, and most of all, dirty, wondering what I would be doing had my mother not died during childbirth and my father, not going out into the backyard when I was thirteen and shooting himself in the head. I wondered if they loved me, I always told myself they did, but it was easier to believe that my real-mother did, for obvious reasons. Somehow my mind wandered to Henry, and I smiled slightly. I wondered what he was doing, I know Miss Thompson told me to stay away, but something was drawing me to him.

Soon, there was a knock on the cellar door. I was half-way hoping it was the FBI coming to get me out of here, but I knew in order for that to be possible, someone had to report it, and I hadn't told anyone anything. Nope, it was my step-mother, drunk, and holding a leather strap, this should be fun.

SMACK. SMACK. SMACK. SMACK. SMACK. SMACK. SMACK. SMACK.

It had been awhile since she hit me SMACK while drunk, I much rather preferred her to SMACK hit me while sober, because then I knew where SMACK I was going to get hit and I could do the SMACK best to get out of the way. When she was drunk SMACK she lost control of her SMACK fine motor skills, SMACK. So there was no telling where I would get hit. Tonight, it was mainly to the face and upper SMACK back. Awesome.

I walked into third hour, I tried to walk at a slower pace, but she was bound to see the markings sooner or later, so, why prolong the inevitable? I had on sunglasses, and wore the longest clothes I could find, but I knew with Victoria in my class, the cap and glasses weren't going to stay on long.

"Miss Thompson, isn't there a rule against sunglasses in the building?"

"Yes, Victoria, there is." She said sighing. "Sorry, Rebecca, take it off."

"I have a horrible migraine, can't I just leave them on for the hour?"

Miss Thompson sighed, "I don't care, but if a school official walks in, take them off, deal?"

I nodded. Laying my head down.

"Oh, Rebecca?" I sat up, making sure the glasses stayed on my face. Luckily, most of the damage was near my eyes. Well, not lucky, because if the cuts were to get infected, that suck, but I could hide them easily.

"Hm?" I said.

"Can, we work on that essay after class?"

I nodded. Knowing every well she wanted to talk. I put my head back on the desk. Until there was a tap on my shoulder. In a slight daze, I looked up. It was Miss Thompson, like I expected. She sat next to me.

Henry walked in a few seconds later.

"Henry, can we talk after school?"

"Oh, I just wanted to know if the grades for our paper were posted online yet?"

"Not yet, I'm going to do it during my lunch break."

He nodded. "Hey Becca." He said smiling.

I smiled back, but didn't respond.

After he left and the door shut, Miss Thompson looked at me. "Take them off."

I looked away. "No."

Miss Thompson took her fingers and positioned them on my chin so that our eyes would meet again.

At that moment, Principal Oliver walked in, "Erica, can you-bad timing, sorry."

"Email me?"

He nodded, and walked out of the room.

"Please?"

"No."

She gently removed my glasses from my face on her own. It revealed two black eyes, several cuts around the edges of my eyes and cut across the bridge of my nose.

"I told you to call me, so that this wouldn't happen."

"I couldn't. I didn't know this was coming, and I couldn't move afterwords, plus, my cell phone, doesn't work very well in the...ce-basement."

"You get hit anywhere else?"

"No."

"Lift up your shirt." She said sighing.

"No."

Miss Thompson was getting angry, I could tell it. She pulled me out of my chair, we both stared at the back of it. Apparently, my back was hit harder than I thought, blood was on the back of my shirt and the chair.

"Lift it up, or I'll do it myself." She demanded.

I lifted it up, revealing markings, probably ten smaller ones and five or six large ones.

"I'm not going to look, but were you hit on the front?"

"No." I said. "I really wasn't."

"Legs?"

"No."

"Arms?"

"No. Just face and back."

"Alright, by the way, you didn't sleep in the basement last night, did you?"

"Not exactly."

"Where did you sleep?"

"In the cellar, how did you know?"

"I wanted answers, so I did a little bit of facebook stalking, Victoria wrote, the rat was in the cellar, two plus two equals four, my dear."

"Oh."

"Come with me."

"Where?"

"We need to get you fixed up."

"I can't go to the hospital. My step-mom will find out."

"No, come on."

We walked down the hall, to the nurses office.

The nurse's assistant saw me.

"What happened this time?"

"I fell." I said.

"Sure ya did." She responded.

"For reasons I cannot tell you, I can't take her to the emergency room, I need you to bandage her up the best you can." Miss Thompson.

"Alright, we've done it before. Take your shirt off, go lay on the couch."

"Rebecca, I'm going to go talk to Principal Oliver."

Miss Thompson walked into Oliver's office.

"This about Rebecca?"

"Yeah."

"Do something. I don't care what."

"I can't do anything, because I can't get to tell me what's going on."

"Did you try the notebook?"

"Yeah she refuses, because she's afraid her step-mother will find it. I offered for her to keep it in my room, but she refused."

"What's stopping her?"

"She won't tell me, but...I don't think she can read."

"Hm."

"What?"

"Tell her what happened to you, maybe she'll open up."

"I was prolonging that, but...you're right. I think the only way to get her to tell me, is tell her."


	5. Chapter 5

I sat at lunch, alone. Miss Thompson approached me. I tried to avoid her glance, but I caught it. She motioned for me to come to her. I sighed and knew the only way to appease her and get her to leave me alone was to talk to her.

"Can't you just leave me alone, I'm sick of this. Nothing is going on at home."

"Come with me."

I sighed heavily. "No." I said.

Miss Thompson looked at me with deep concern. "Why not?"

"Because I'm sick of this!" I yelled, suddenly the school cafeteria got a lot quieter.

"Sweetheart, I don't want to talk about what's going on with you right now. But, I do need to talk to you. Come on."

"I said, no."

I saw Henry in the background. He approached me. "What if I go with you?"

That caught me off guard. "Miss Thompson, is that okay?"

She sighed. "Henry already knows this story, but I guess."

The three of us sat in a small conference room, which to my knowledge, I had never seen used. I wondered why we weren't in her classroom, like usual, but I let it go. This had a less, school-like atmosphere to it. Ah, I get her plan now. Less, school-like, means, maybe I'll talk. Psh, she's wrong there.

"First, are two dating?" She asked eying Henry.

"No." He said. "JUST friends."

"Yeah." I said nodding.

"Okay." Miss Thompson said now eying me, it gave me the chills. She looked at me like _We'll talk about HIM later. _I could tell Henry was thinking it as well.

"Rebecca, do you know why I stay on your case about everything going on at home?"

"Because you care." I said sarcastically.

"Well, yes. But do you know why I care."

I sighed. "No."

Miss Thompson sighed. "And for the record, the only people who know this story are Oliver, because he had to know before I got the job, and Henry here."

"You're parents don't know?"

"Nope, and we'll get to why in a second."

I nodded, and waited for Miss Thompson to tell her story.

"When I was five years old, I lost my mother to a car accident caused by drunk driving."

"Was she drunk?" I asked.

"No, the other driver was."

"Oh."

"So, my father became very depressed, naturally. But, he took his rage out on me. I came to school, a lot like you do. Only, instead of dirt, I had bruises, cuts, burns, you name, I had it. One day, he broke my arm."

"Didn't you tell anyone?"

"Not until it was too late, I was scared."

"Scared of what?"

"We'll get there."

"I covered for my father, I told my teachers I fell, that I got in fights with my brothers, whatever I could think up. But-" She said standing up. "One day, when I was thirteen years old. I split paint in the garage." She lifted up her shirt, there was a long scar.

"What is it?"

"He was cooking when I told him, so, out of rage, he stabbed me."

"Oh. Did you tell someone then?"

"Yep. I finally told my teachers, only because the staples I gave myself fell out in class one day."

"You stapled it yourself?"

"Yes. I was desperate, I couldn't go the hospital."

"So where did you go?"

"I lived with my Uncle, and you know how I mentioned fear a moment ago?"

"Yeah."

"See, back then, no one did background checks for family members, figured you're family, that's all that matters. Take the kid."

"and?"

"Let's leave it at, he couldn't keep his hands to himself."

"Oh, sorry."

"So, eventually my teachers found out. Having no other family, I got put into the foster child system. Something I was scared to death of, I had heard stories that those parents treated the kids worse than my father or my uncle did."

"Did they?"

"Quite the contrary, They loved me, like my father should have, and helped me overcome the trauma of it all, because, I lived with my uncle for over a year before anyone was smart enough to start asking questions."

"That's nice. Do you still talk to them?"

"All the time, they adopted me on my fifteenth birthday."

"Hey, Henry?" I asked.

"Hm?"

"Can you give us some time alone?"

"Sure." He said kissing me on the head. I blushed. Miss Thompson rolled her eyes. I could tell my statement caught her off guard.

"This is a first." She said with a smile. "So, if you aren't dating, what was the kiss for?"

"Oh, we are dating. He asked me last week to be his girlfriend."

"So, you're not going to stay away from him?"

"What's wrong with him?"

"He's fifteen."

"So am I."

"But do you have two children, by two different girls? Or, boys, in your case?"

"I know, he told me."

"You're the first. But you obviously didn't want to talk about Henry."

"If I tell you, what's going to happen to me?"

"I don't know."

"Well, I'm not telling you anything, until I know."


	6. Chapter 6

Miss Thompson sighed. "Come with me, we'll find out."

I followed Miss Thompson into where the guidance offices were, but instead of taking to a guidance consular we stopped at a small office towards the back.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked.

"How do you know all of that stuff about Henry, about him being a dad and all?"

Miss Thompson sighed. "Henry is my son."

"Really?"

"Well, he's my nephew, technically, but his mother isn't mentally capable of taking care of him, and his father is a deadbeat, I'm all he has."

"What's wrong with his mother?"

"Schizophrenia."

"Oh. Sorry."

"It happens."

"Man, if I had a kid in high school my step-mom would disown me in a heartbeat." I said.

"To be fair, does she even claim you now?"

"Touche."

"Miss Thompson?" A woman said coming out of the small office.

"Can the three of us talk?"

"Three?"

Miss Thompson pointed to me, while I stared at my shoes. I knew this woman was a social worker, someone I had spent most of my teenage years avoiding.

"Well, my office isn't very big. Why don't we go across the hall?"

Miss Thompson nodded.

I stood staring at my shoes.

"Karen, we'll meet you over there." Miss Thompson said.

She nodded and walked out of the offices. Miss Thompson knelt down beside me.

"What are you scared of?"

"Everything. Can't we just pretend I have a normal home life where my step-mom loves me and ignore this?" I said tears beginning to stream from my eyes.

"No. We can't." Miss Thompson said. "I know it's scary. You heard my story, I've been in your shoes sweetheart." She said taking her thumb and wiping my tears from my cheek. She stood up and outstretched her hand. "Come on, I'm with you every step of the way." I grabbed her hand tightly, to the point I may have restricted blood flow, but she didn't seem to mind.

The three of us sat at the table that I was at a few moments ago.

Karen, the lady I had only met while passing in the hall broke the awkward silence.

"Rebecca, me and Erica...aren't stupid, I'm not one of those social workers who sugarcoats things, and to be frank, I never will be."

I nodded.

"So what's going on at home?"

"Like I told Miss Thompson, I'm not telling anyone anything until I know exactly what's going to happen to me, if I do."

"Do you have family?"

"No. Both of my parents were only children."

"Oh. Okay. What about grandparents?"

"They all live in the Bible belt, I was conceived out of wed-lock, enough said."

"Alright then. Well, you go into the foster system."

"When happens then?"

"What do you mean?"

"A foster kid never stays in the same house very long, how long will I be in a house?"

"I can't answer that. It's different for every child."

"Then, I can't tell you anything."

Miss Thompson just sat next to me, still holding my hand. I could tell she was deep in thought, I desperately wanted to know what she was thinking. I hoped she was thinking what I was thinking, but I highly doubted it.

"Erica, can you try and put some sense into your student?"

"I've tried." She said being shaken from whatever she was thinking. "The ball is in your court now."

"Rebecca, I need to know, right now, what's going on at your house." Karen said.

"Nothing." I said raising an eyebrow.

"Erica, can the two of us talk out in the hall?"

"I was thinking the exact same thing."

The two of them stood in the hall, I couldn't tell what they were saying.

"You could have some compassion." Miss Thompson.

"My job isn't to have compassion." Karen said.

"But, with everything she's been through, you can fake it."

"No. I can't."

"Why don't you just make something up. Like, you made a phone call and they changed the rules and a child stays with a foster parent until they leave the system?"

"Because you and I both know she isn't stupid."

"True."

I could tell that Miss Thompson was back into her deep thought process.

"What are you thinking?"

"Nothing, it wouldn't work anyway."

"What?"

"What if I took her?"

"Like adoption?"

"I don't know. But for now, I could become her guardian, yes."

"See how she feels about it. I'll make some phone calls." Karen said walking off.

Miss Thompson nodded and walked back into the conference room.

"What?" I demanded.

"How would you feel...about...coming to live with me for awhile?"

"Seriously?"

"Yes. That way, you would know what's going to happen. I understand why that's such a big deal to you."

"You do?"

"Yeah. I do."

"What about my step-mom?"

"What about her?"

"Do I go home and tell her I'm moving out, or what?"

"I don't know. Karen is making some phone calls."

I was speechless. I only nodded.

Miss Thompson simply hugged me.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Sorry it's been so long, I'm on break. But of course, break has been pretty busy.

I didn't pay much attention for the rest of the school day. I was focusing more, on the fact; someone wanted me. I wasn't really sure how to tell my step-mother, but at the same time, I didn't think she would care.

I got home. Expecting to get yelled at. I thought a phone call would have come while I was in class. Instead, Victoria and Jessica were sitting on the couch watching some mind-numbing television show. I didn't seem my step-mother.

"Where's your mom?" I asked.

"Looking for you." Jessica said.

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"REBECCA!" I heard the menacing voice yell. "KITCHEN! NOW!"

"Yes ma'am." I said walking towards the kitchen.

She stood with her hands on her hips, with a piece of paper in her hands.

"Yes ma'am?"

"Here," She said handing me the piece of paper. "Get your chores done. Go to bed."

"Ma'am?"

"What?"

"I'm moving out."

She looked at me and rolled her eyes. SMACK. "Get your chores done."

"I'm serious."

SMACK.

SMACK. Wait, that one wasn't her hand to my face.

"Mom." Jessica said coming into the kitchen. "A cop just knocked down the door."

SMACK. That one was to my face. "You told someone?"

"She figured it out."

"That God forsaken teacher of yours?"

I nodded. SMACK.

I watched as my step-mother was hauled off in handcuffs. I wasn't happy. Should I be? It was over.

Victoria and Jessica just stared at me, as they were put into handcuffs as well. Something about aiding and abiding, I wasn't listening.

I saw Miss Thompson running into the yard. I was glad she showed up, someone I knew, rather than a sea of faces.

"Do you know this woman?" A cop asked before letting her into the house.

"Yeah. I'm staying with her until this is all sorted out."

"She family?"

"No. But she's all I have."

"We can't put you with anyone but family, for forty-eight hours. If no one claims you, you can go with her."

"Both of my parents were only children, they're both dead. All four of my grandparents live in the Bible Belt, I was conceived out of wed-lock, do the math. You hauled my only family away in handcuffs."

"There's nothing I can do about it."

"Sir." Miss Thompson interjected. "I wanted to wait until later to tell Rebecca this, but...I am in the process of adopting her, does that make a difference?"

"No. Sorry."

"Okay. Fine. Rebecca, just do what he says, it'll be okay."

I started to cry. Miss Thompson shoved past the cop and embraced me. "Sweetheart, ssshhh, ssshhh, it's okay. Forty-eight hours isn't long at all. Ssshhh."

"I want to go with you!" I yelled.

"I know, it's okay. You will be."

"There's no family at all willing to take her."

"No." Miss Thompson said.

"How do you know her?"

"I'm her history teacher."

The cop seemed shocked, I couldn't see his face, for mine was buried in Miss Thompson's shirt, but I could tell.

"Look, the state is pressed for money right now. So the less kids we have to put into juvenile detention centers, which is where she would go for the two days, the better. I'm going to turn around and count to ten, when I turn back around, both of you need to be out of this house."

"Rebecca, do you have anything you need?"

"No."

"Thanks." Miss Thompson said smiling.

The cop only nodded.

The ride the her house was painfully silent. She kept turning the radio up louder, but it didn't penetrate the silence. Finally, I turned the radio off and asked the question that had been on my mind for awhile.

"Did you mean that?"

"Mean what?"

"About adopting me?"

"I was going to see how felt about it."

"I don't know. Can we hold off on such a drastic measure?"

"Of course."

I nodded, and turned the radio back on.

We finally arrived at her house, it was bigger than I imagined.

"How do you afford this on a teacher salary?" I asked.

She only laughed. "Are you familiar with the Law offices of Montgomery and Carson?"

"Sure."

"Montgomery is my husband."

"Nice. Does he know I'm coming?"

"Nope."

"Is it going to cause a problem?"

"Nope."

We walked in, it was even bigger on the inside. There seemed to be a chandelier in every room. I stood in amazement.

Miss Thompson just laughed. "Henry had the same reaction."

Almost on cue, Henry walked down the marble staircase with nothing but a bath towel. I turned red, and balled my hands into fists, digging my nails into the palm.

"Henry, I told you Rebecca was coming, go dress yourself."

He nodded, and walked off.

"Calm it down. He's nothing special." Miss Thompson said sarcastically.

A man walked in, judging by the suit and briefcase, and the fact that he kissed Miss Thompson, it was Montgomery.

"Find another stray?" He asked with a smile.

"This is Rebecca. She needs a mom."

"Hi." I said. "Miss Thompson-" She cut me off.

"If we're home, you can call me Erica, and my husband's name is Kevin."

"Um, can I go lay down? It's been a long day."

"Yeah of course. Come on, I'll show you where everything is as you go, it'll be easier than you trying to learn it all at once."

She showed me the bedroom. It looked as if it were set up for a six year old girl. It was cute.

"Sorry about the decorations, my niece spent eighteen months with us, I never got around to putting it back to normal. We can go this weekend and get stuff more suited for your age."

"Nah, I like it. I never had a room like this."

"What did you have?"

"The crawl space, she called an attic."

"I see." I could see the tears welling in her eyes. Kevin came into the room a few moment later.

"Can I talk to you?" He asked.

Miss Thom- Erica nodded. "Take a nap, I'll come get you when dinner is ready." She said kissing me on top of the head and closing the door behind her.

I laid down on the bed, wondering what was happening to my step-mother and her daughters. Henry walked in a few minutes after Erica left.

"Hey baby."

"Get out. Not with them home."

He sat on my bed. "No worries, this house is virtually sound-proof."

"Still."

"Oh," he said kissing my neck. "Erica won't throw you out. She didn't throw me out when I had to kids."

I pushed him off of me. "You don't need three, and I don't need any right now."

His fingers migrated to the buttons of my shirt. Figures, I wore flannel. He continued kissing my neck as he unbuttoned my shirt, and eventually my pants.

My first time wasn't as long as I thought it would be. He laid beside me longer than he laid on top of me.

"Henry, we messed up." I said.

"I know. It's okay. Just don't tell mom."

"Don't tell mom what?" A voice asked.

We both sat up in the bed like lightning. Trying to hide the fact we had no clothes on.

Erica just looked at us. "Get dressed, both of you. Then get your butts downstairs."

"Sound-proof, huh?" I asked as we were getting dressed.

"I guess not."

"If I get kicked out..."

"Chill. Okay?"

The two of us sat on the couch. Erica and Kevin looming over us with their hands on their hips.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?"

"We're in love." Henry said.

"REALLY? THEN WHY DID YOU TELL ME THAT WITH BOTH CAITLIN AND DAKOTA?"

"I love them too." He said.

"Not helping." I said.

"Sorry."

"THE TWO OF YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU JUST DID, DO YOU?"

This was a side of her I'd never seen. Anger. She always seemed so peaceful.

"Yeah mom, I get it. If, Rebecca is pregnant, I'll make it work. I'll support MY three children, because that's what a man would do."

"YOU'RE BARELY SUPPORTING THE TWO YOU HAVE!"

"I know, I know."

"Both of you, go to your room. YOUR OWN ROOMS!"

The two of us walked off. It felt weird, seeing her angry like that.

Erica sat on the couch and put her head in her hands.

"Honey," Kevin said. "What are you thinking?"

"I don't know what to do."

"We're raising two teenagers who are dating, it isn't going to be easy, and if what you told me about Rebecca is true, she has some emotional baggage she needs to work through, and Henry...being Henry...it's going to be a hard road."

"I know. I just wish Henry understood."

"Would you have understood at his age?"

"I would have understood at the first child, now we could be onto number three."

"Now, we don't even know if she's ovulating."

"True. You want Him or Her?"

"Him, you know Her better than I do."

Erica nodded and walked off while Kevin went off in the opposite direction.

She came into the room.

"We need to talk." She said.

"Sure. Tell me I'm stupid."

"You aren't stupid. You just made a bad choice, there's a difference."

"It was his idea."

"I know." She said sitting next to me. "Why'd you do it?"

"He wanted to. I thought maybe, we've been dating awhile, if he was ready, I should be too."

"Not necessarily. Kevin and I were married for over a year before I was ready."

"and he waited?"

"Yes, because we love each other."

"I love Henry."

"No, you lust Henry, there's a difference."


	8. Chapter 8

"Yeah. I guess that makes sense." I said. "Does that mean he doesn't love me?"

"I don't know. Henry is a rather complex individual."

"I've noticed."

"So," She said putting an arm around my shoulder. "Why else?"

"Why else, what. He asked, well, pushed; I guess I'm vulnerable right now, thus, sex."

"Why do you think you're vulnerable?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. Probably getting abused for so long."

"When did it start?"

"When I was about...they married when I was seven, so right after that."

"Hm. What happened to your mom?"

"She died during childbirth."

"Sorry."

"It happens. Children weren't impossible with her, but they weren't smart. Something with the lining of her uterus, it was thinner than it should have been, so after I was born, she bled out."

"Sorry."

"It happens."

"Do you miss her?"

"No. How do you miss someone you didn't know?"

"I see."

"Why do you think Henry did it?"

"Because he's vulnerable too."

"Why?"

"It probably stems from his parents, mainly his dad never being around."

"Were they teenagers?"

"No, they were in their thirties, but Greg wasn't ready to grow up, which I think is why Henry takes it so hard."

I stirred on the bed. I needed to ask her something, but I wasn't sure how, or weither or not she'd get mad at me, I didn't want her mad again, I hated that.

"What?" Erica asked.

"Nothing."

"You're fidgety. When Andy got fidgety, something was wrong."

"Andy?"

"The foster boy that was here."

"What happened to him?"

"They finally located his...grandparents, I think, So he's there." She said. "Stop changing the subject, what's up?"

"I don't want you to get mad."

"Well, I would rather you ask me, then you doing something behind my back, you'd get in more trouble that way."

"No, it's nothing like that."

"Then, what?"

"I know you love him and all, but is your husband, going to be like your Uncle?"

"Not at all. If he ever does anything, and I mean, anything, that makes you even the slightest bit uncomfortable, just come tell me, okay?"

I nodded.

Kevin walked into the room. "Dinner's ready." He said smiling at me. I smiled back.

Both me and Erica nodded.

"Come on, I'll show you the bathroom, you can wash up." She said looking at me, still dirty and ever. "Oh, honey, I don't know how I did, but I forgot."

"No worries. Um. I don't have any clothes."

She motioned for me to come to her. So I did, she opened the drawers of a dresser in the corner, and there was an entire wardrobe.

"That's why I was so late picking you up after the cops came."

"I can't pay you back."

"I wouldn't expect you to."

It took me awhile to shower, but I was sure they would understand. I walked downstairs and found the three of them, Kevin, Henry and Erica sitting at the table in front of untouched food.

"Something wrong?" I asked.

"No. We don't eat until everyone is present." Erica said smiling.

"Oh, sorry."

"No worries. We understand. Sit on down."

After dinner, everyone helped clean up. That was different.

"Henry, Rebecca?" Kevin asked. "Homework done?"

"Yeah." Henry responded. "I did it in study hall."

"Someone check it?"

"Not yet."

"Alright, I will." Kevin said. "Rebecca, is yours done?"

"Um..no."

"Hop to it."

"Um, I can't."

"Why not?" He asked.

"See, back when I was living with my step-mother, I made a deal with my teacher, I told them my step-mother was Amish, and that once I got the farm chores done it was too dark to see, even with a kerosene lamp. They said as long as it was done within a week of when it was given, it was okay."

"But, we're not Amish, we have plenty of light. Go do it."

"I remember that excuse, and for the record, I didn't believe it."

"Obviously, look where I am." I said laughing. "But, um, I can't do it."

"Why not?"

Before I could speak, a light bulb went off in Erica's head. Good, I didn't have another excuse.

"Kevin, go check Henry's homework. I'll help Rebecca with her's."

"I don't need help."

"Then go do it." Kevin said.

"Kevin, I have this. I'll explain later, just go."

Kevin walked off.

"Why didn't you just tell him?"

"Tell him what?"

"That you can't read?"

"I can read."

Erica muted the television, and then turned the subtitles on. "Read them to me."

"Um. Okay, I can't read."

"Kevin would have understood."

"I know, I just didn't want to look like a retard in front of the big shot lawyer."

"Number one, don't say retard. Ever. Second, Kevin has a strict policy of, he isn't a lawyer at home, and he isn't a dad at work. Does that make sense?"

"More or less."

"Good. Alright, forget the homework tonight. I know a kindergarten teacher who might be able to help you."

"I'm not going back to Kindergarten."

"No, as a tutor. You wouldn't actually be in the class. This isn't an Adam Sandler movie." She said with a smile that disappeared when she realized I didn't understand the reference.


	9. Chapter 9

"That's seems weird. Can't you teach me?"

"Would you be more comfortable that way?"

"Loads."

"I'll see what I can do. But, I've been teaching high school so long. I'm not sure I know how to teach someone to read."

I nodded.

Over the course of the next few days, it had occurred to me what had really happened. My step-mother, was in jail, pending trial. A trial I was expected to testify at, something I wasn't sure I could do. My step-sisters were at some juvenile detention center, the same one I would have gone to, had that cop not allowed me to go with Erica. But most of all, it occurred to me, that I had, had sex. I knew all about where babies came from, I knew I was ovulating when we had it. From the looks of it, I was screwed, no pun intended.

I sat on the couch with Erica, watching television.

"So, what's gonna happen to me?"

"What do you mean?" She asked turning off the television and facing me.

"Where am I going?"

"Honey, I don't understand."

Henry chimed in. "She's afraid you're going to kick her out of here because of what...we...did."

"Thanks Henry, go, do something, not in this room."

He smiled at me, and walked off.

"Are you pregnant?" She asked.

"I don't think so. But, my period's late. But, I know stress can affect it, and I've been really stressed lately."

"I bet. Well, we'll get you into the doctor within the next few days to find out for sure."

"That still doesn't answer my question."

"About weither or not I'm going to kick you out?"

"Yes." I said looking at my shoes.

"Sweetheart, you're human, and a confused human at that. I'm not going to kick you out for anything, you made a mistake. It's okay. We'll deal with what comes with that mistake. Okay?"

I nodded. "What if..."

"What?"

"Never mind."

"No. What's up?"

"What if my step-mother gets away with it, and I have to go back there? the trial is in three weeks!"

"I know. I've been worried about that too. But, I promise, she won't get away with it."

"But, the only lawyer I can afford, is the state paid one, and they don't care."

"Nope. I've talked to Kevin, he's taking your case."

"I can't afford him."

"He's taking it pro-bono."

"What's that?"

"He's doing it for free."

"Oh. Why?"

"Because he cares about you. He told me last night before we went to bed, how much he loves having a daughter."

"Really?"

"Yep."

"Cool." I said. "Do I have to call him Dad?"

"You can call him whatever you like."

"I'm going to stick with Kevin, for now."

"That's fine."


	10. Chapter 10

"We'll get through this, together." Erica said with a warm smile.

I nodded.

I sat in the doctor's office in a weird gown, Erica said 'be glad its cloth and not paper' but I didn't really understand what she meant, I just pretended I did.

After the doctor was done 'looking at me' while I cried. He walked out of the room. Erica let go of my hand, but I grabbed it right back, still crying.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

I nodded. "Sorry, this is all so new." I wiped my tears on my gown.

"No worries. Okay?"

I nodded and did my best to fake a smile, but she saw through my mask. She was going to figure it out. I knew it. I didn't want it to happen. Not in the least.

"Miss Thompson?" The doctor said coming into the room.

"Yes?"

"Are you Rebecca's mother?"

"No." Erica said. "I'm her guardian."

"How do you know her?"

"She's my history teacher." I said, wiping my tears again.

"Hm." He said.

Why did everyone have that same reaction, even if she is my history teacher, isn't she better than where I came from?

"Can I talk to you out in the hall?" The doctor asked.

"Can it not be said in front of Rebecca?"

"I would rather not."

Erica and the doctor stepped out into the hall, I strained to her what they said, but I couldn't, and within a few seconds, gave up.

The car ride home was silent, it was awkward. I knew something was on her mind, something I didn't want to face. We arrived in the driveway and I tried to get out of the car, but she quickly pushed me gently back into my seat.

"The boys are inside, I really need to talk to you alone." Erica said.

"It's hot in here, can we talk in my bedroom, according to Henry it's virtually sound-proof." I said with a smirk.

"No, it's not." She said sarcastically. "You two weren't quiet, no, I don't want to talk in your room, too open, we can talk in my study."

"You have a study, where?"

"Exactly." She said with a smile.

We walked inside the house, with every step I got more and more anxious about what couldn't be said in my bedroom, and slightly more curious as to where this so-called 'study' was.

"Hi honey." Erica said walking into the kitchen, where he was standing over a pot of boiling water. "Whatcha makin?"

"You'll see. It's a surprise."

"Is today something special? usually you're the one who forgets the anniversary, and I have everyone's birthday down on my calendar."

"You'll see." He said with a smile. "Henry went to Jake's by the way."

Erica nodded. "Rebecca and I are going into my study."

"Must be serious. Rebecca, you're lucky, I haven't even seen it yet."

Erica smiled. "Maybe one day, come on." She said ushering me towards her bedroom.

"Why your study?" I asked, as we stepped into her room.

"It IS virtually sound-proof."

"Seriously?" I said. "Cool."

"Yep."

She walked up the a bookcase, a bookcase I never noticed that had a hinge on the side of it, but at the same time, I don't spend my free time examining book cases in my history teacher's bedroom.

She moved the bookcase, and it revealed another room. It was the size of a small library, desks, chairs, books everywhere. A television and a couch, and most importantly, a pinball machine.

"Whoa."

"Yeah, I was a carpenter before I was a medical examiner, before I was a teacher, so I built this room once me and Kevin moved into together, just as a way to escape for a little while."

"How did you sound-proof it?"

"I know a guy."

"A carpenter?"

"Yeah, I was a bit of a job jumper."

"Can I play pinball?"

"After we talk. Sit down."

I sat on the couch, I expected her to sit next to me, but she sat on the chair across from me, and turned on the fireplace, that I didn't notice.

"It gets cold in here." She said. She closed her eyes, almost as if trying to figure out what to say. I sat still.

"Did your step-mom hurt you?" She asked.

I looked at her as if she was insane. "You know she did. Why are we having this discussion again?"

"That was phrased wrong. Sorry, I just don't how to start this."

"It's okay. How did you know something was wrong in my old house?"

"I'm not stupid. That's how. This is different."

"Oh."

Erica closed her eyes and put her head in her hands. I felt I should do something, she was obviously stressed, but I didn't know what to do. I just sat silently.

"Why don't we just pick this back up, when you do know how to start it?"

"No, I'll never know. We need to talk now."

"You're worrying me. Just tell me."

"Hm, where have I heard that before?"

I only laughed.

"When was your first period?" Erica asked.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Just answer the question."

I sighed. "I've never had one. But, I know in stressful situations, they can come later in life, living with my step-mother was certainly stressful, and no offense, but moving in here has been stressful too."

"None taken. What happened if, you didn't get everything done by the time your step-mother wanted it?"

"Depended on how drunk she was at the time."

"On average?"

"I got beat."

"With what?"

"Her hand, a leather strap, one time she beat with a baseball bat. It was just whatever was closest to her, when she got pissed at me. If I got beat, I usually lost my food privileges-"

"How long?"

"I lost them up to a week once. But usually it was just a few days. I had to sleep in the cellar, but I would steal cans of food I knew they wouldn't miss and hide them down there in a corner with a knife, so I could eat. If she was really, really, really mad. She made me sleep in a shed in the back yard."

"How often did that happen?"

"Once, I learned not to say 'no' pretty quickly."

"When she was hitting you, did she ever make you take your clothes off, so it would hurt more, or something along those lines?"

"No."

"Don't lie to me." She said, I could see the anger rising.

"I'm not. Promise. She never did."

She shut her eyes again. A few minutes later, she re-opened them. "Okay, my beating around the bush technique isn't working. Did she ever hit you between the legs?"

Tears began to stream from my eyes. I nodded.

"How often?" Erica asked softly.

"Couple times a week. If I wasn't working fast enough, she would pull me up by my hair, slam me against the wall, and kick her knee into my...area...as hard as she could." The tears were now falling fast, faster than I could wipe them.

Erica tried to sit next to me. But I quickly moved to where she was previously sitting. "Not right now." I said.

"Fair enough."

"Why are you making me re-live this?" I yelled.

I talked to the doctor, about the results of your pregnancy test you took earlier today. "You're not pregnant."

"Okay, good." I said.

Erica sighed. "You should have been."

"I'm confused."

"Henry is extremely fertile, he's the middle child, of eight. It runs in his family, it's why he has two children and is still in high school. Even the doctor said it's a miracle you're not pregnant."

"Okay?"

"Until he looked closer at...things."

"Yeah, things." I said sarcastically

"Rebecca, one of those blows to your...area...damaged you pretty badly."

"Am I okay?"

"Yeah, you're not in any risk of dying, or anything like that, but...you're incapable of having children, you have sustained...blunt vaginal trauma."

"Can we avoid using the word vaginal, please?"

Erica laughed.

"Is he sure it's not a situation like my mom, not impossible, but not smart?"

"No. It is impossible for you to conceive children."

I sat silently, having children was not something I thought of on a daily basis, but I always wanted them.

I stood up. I screamed at the top of my lungs. I'd never been this angry in my entire life. There was a vase nearby. I picked it up, threw it across the room, still screaming.

"I HATE HER! I HATE HER! I HATE HER!" There was a large pile of books sitting on Erica's study desk. I opened them up quickly, one by one, and tore the pages out. And threw the empty shell as far as I could. Not caring at all what I hit. "I HATE HER!"

I felt someone wrap their arms around me. I struggled to get out, realizing it was another person, I headbutted them, they let go.

There was a hammer nearby, and four walls. You do the math.

Those same arms wrapped themselves against me again.

"Rebecca, calm it down. Shhhhhh, shhhhhh, ssssshhhh." I heard whispered into my ear.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" I yelled, struggling to get out of their embrace, I felt the hammer being torn from my grip.

The person snapped his fingers towards the back of the room. The next thing I knew, I was wrapped in a sheet of ice.

After I had calmed down, mainly due to my body freezing. I noticed that Henry was draining the excess water for where the ice sheet was held. Kevin was standing above me, and Erica was holding a rag to a bloody nose. Which meant, I had headbutted the only person willing to help me.

A few minutes later I was let out of the ice sheet and entered new clothes and a wool blanket. Now, it was just me and Erica, who's nose and stopped bleeding, but was probably broken. I sat looking at the damage I had caused.

"Sorry." I said.

"Shut. Up."

I nodded. "Can I go to my room?"

"What are you going to destroy on your way there?"

"Nothing. I'm sorry."

"I. Said. Shut. Up. Until I can figure out what to do with you."

I sat silently. "Where did you get the ice sheet?"

Erica looked at me angrily and sighed. "Andy was very prone to heat stroke, how many time do I have to tell you, SHUT UP!"

I stood up, I was going to fix what I could.

"SIT DOWN!" She yelled.

Kevin walked in a moment later with the phone in his hand.

"It's your mother." He said.

"Does it look like I'm in the mood to deal with her and my Dad's issues, really? you may know where it is now, but my study is still off limits, to everyone except me!" She said glaring at Kevin.

"Alright, sorry." He said quickly leaving.

"Rebecca, the unfortunate thing about your little tantrum episode, is that we're not even done discussing everything I need to talk to you about. However, I'm too pissed at you right now to think rationally, so part two is going to have to wait."

"I'm sorry. I know about drywall, I can fix the walls. The vase and books, not so much."

"I know you will, and if you didn't know about it, I was going to teach you."

"What do I need to say to fix everything?"

"You need the DeLoreon and Marty McFly."

"Umm..."

"Never mind, not important."

"Erica, I'm sorry. I don't know what happened."

"I do. I've been expecting it for awhile, however, I thought you would just punch a wall and hurt your hand like every other kid. Not this."

"Yeah."

"Why don't you go onto bed, okay?"

"Well, let me clean up the paper and glass."

"Now."

I sat on my bed. It was adjacent to Kevin and Erica's room. So I could hear everything, unlike the study, their room was not sound-proof.

"Erica. You didn't need to be so hard on her." Kevin said.

"Don't tell me how to parent. You're not the only person that a traumatized fifteen year old girl will confide in, sometimes, it gets a little stressful, and I believe I had the right to get as angry, if not more, angry than I did."

"You did have the right to get angry at her, I'm angry at her. But, is that anger towards her...or...towards what your Dad did to you?"

"Don't. Lawyer. Me. Ever."

"I'm not lawyer-ing you, I'm being realistic."

"Yes, I am angry at my Dad, but that's apples and oranges."

"No it's not."

"Good night." Erica said turning off the lamp.


	11. Chapter 11

About two o'clock the next morning, I was sitting at a desk in my room, looking at some of the workbooks that Erica had given me, so that I could finally learn to read. Studying by myself was really difficult, but I couldn't sleep.

"You can't sleep either?" A voice said from behind me. I turned around and Erica was leaning against the posts of my door.

"No." I said softly.

"Are you understanding it any?"

"No."

"Let me help me, what letter are you on?"

"Little 'w'"

"You're further than I thought you would be." Erica said.

I shrugged. "You didn't come in here to help me with my letter sounds, did you?"

"No."

I sighed. "If you want me to go somewhere else, I can. I know a guy, who might let me live with him."

"How would you pay him rent?"

"With my body, and since I can't have children, no harm no foul. I get a roof, he gets sex, you get rid of me, it's a win-win-win situation."

"What gave you the idea I wanted you to live somewhere else?"

"I heard you and Kevin talking last night. You said I stress you out."

Erica paused. "Sweetheart, I will admit, you do stress me out. But, so does Henry. I'm responsible for two teenagers, who are dating, living under the same roof, both have some major emotional baggage. Teenager is the Greek word for 'you stress adults out'."

"But, you have to take care of Henry, you don't have to take care of me."

"I don't have to do anything for Henry, he may be my nephew, but he's a Dad, and by definition, that makes him an adult."

"Oh."

"Rebecca, I'm bothered by the fact you even thought I would be okay with you becoming a prostitute."

"I wouldn't be a prostitute."

"What do you mean?"

"Prostitutes get paid. I'd be having sex, as a way to avoid paying."

"Hm. Rebecca, I want a serious answer. Do you want to leave?"

"No." I said quickly. It wasn't a question I had to give much thought.

"Well, I'm not making you go anywhere."

"Okay."

"Something bothering you?"

"No. I'm fine."

"Kiddo, I've known you long enough, what's up?"

"Are...you...still...mad...at me?"

"No, Kevin and I talked, I don't think my anger was towards you at all. But towards what my Dad did to me. Does that make sense?"

"I guess." I responded. "Is this where we finish part two of our little discussion?"

"How about in the morning?"

"Alright, noon it is." I said smiling.


	12. Chapter 12

The next morning, I rolled out of bed, not quite noon like I had hoped. But, it'll do.

Kevin approached me;

"Erica wants to talk to you."

"Yeah, I know. Where is she?"

"In her study."

"She's letting me back in there?" I asked with a little bit of shock.

"I know I was shocked too. But she's big on privacy, and it is sound proof."

"If only me and Henry had known about it." I said sarcastically. He only rolled his eyes.

Henry, almost on que walked up to me, he kissed me, his kisses always make me go weak at the knees.

"Do you want to do something tonight?" He asked me.

"Like what?"

"I don't know, movie...whatever."

"Yeah, sure. Let me just see how stressed I am after this conversation with Erica, okay?"

"Yep. What are you guys talking about?"

"I hope, my grades."

"Are they not good?" Kevin asked.

"No, but it's a much easier topic than the one I _know_ she wants to talk about?"

"And what is that?" Henry asked.

"Doesn't matter, it's girl stuff."

Kevin winked at me, it gave me chills. "Best not keep her waiting." He said motioning for me to go.

I walked into Erica's study, slowly and looked once again, at the damage I had caused.

"Hey kiddo." She said with a smile on her face.

I smiled, something was up. She was never this cheery, and she was always cheery, well, almost always.

"Kevin said you wanted to talk."

"Yeah, but you already that."

"Yeah."

"Do you know what it's about?"

"My grades?" I said with a smile.

"No, but I did get your report card. Two weeks, no internet."

I nodded. "Fair enough."

"Back on subject-"

"Can, we talk somewhere else?"

"Why?"

"I just..."

Erica looked around. "Sure, we can go into my bedroom."

I sat on her bed, must be memory foam, it was soft. She sat on a chair across from me.

"So," She said pausing, and gently shutting the door.

"Oi, you can't come up with words, this can't be good."

She just laughed. "Something like that."

"What?" I asked.

"You cried, while at the gynecologist."

"Yeah, so?" I asked. "I know that's pretty normal."

"Yes and no."

"What do you mean?"

Here it comes.

"It's normal is people, who have been sexually abused in one way or another."

"Oh." I said.

There is was. The one secret I was hoping she would never find out, shattered in a split second.

"Were you...are you?"

I sighed, there was no point in lying, it was out there. "Yes I was, no I am not currently."

"By who?"

I began to cry, I've been doing a lot of that lately it seemed, and all of it had to do with when I talked to Erica. "I don't want to talk about it."

"You need to."

"It's complicated."

"We have all the time in the world."

I sighed. "Do I have to?"

"Yes." She said softly. "Was it your father?"

"Yes and no."

"What do you mean?"

"Sometimes it was my father."

"What did he do to you?"

"Anything he wanted. Touching, sex." I shrugged.

"Who else?"

I got up and looked out the window. "It doesn't matter, statute of limitations is up anyway, and my father is dead."

"How did he die?"

"I told you, when I was thirteen, he went into the back yard and shot his brains out."

"Who else?"

"We were poor, well below the poverty line, we were on any government aid we qualified for, but it still wasn't enough."

Erica stood motionless for a moment, light bulb.

"Who did he sell you to?"

"Anyone who would pay."

"How much?"

I was still looking out the window. I pretended I didn't hear her, but she wasn't stupid.

"How much?" She repeated.

I continued ignoring her.

"Sweetheart, I know you don't want to remember, I get it. But, I need to know."

"Why?"

"I asked."

"Well, the case with your step-mother, Kevin needs to know everything, so that he isn't blindsided."

"You tell him what I tell you?"

"Only what he needs to know."

"Doesn't matter, you said that nothing would ever leave your classroom, I figured that applied to everywhere!"

"That was until I realized how serious matters were."

"They aren't serious if it all happened too long ago for the statute of limitations to do anything about it!"

"But it all matters, your step-mother's defense is going to use anything and everything they can against you, and you'll end up right back with her."

"I'll kill myself before I let that happen."

"Don't talk like that."

"It's true."

"How much?" She repeated.

I gave up, I sighed heavily. "I don't know, it was always different, once it was a hundred, once it was twenty, once..." I tried to walk out of the room, but Erica was faster than I was. She blocked the door.

"How much?"

"Once he wanted a soda, and didn't have any change, so he sold me for fifty-cents, and after I was done, he told me I wasn't even worth that much, he said the only reason he took the higher amounts, like the time it was a hundred, is because that's what the men offered."

I was still looking out the window, hiding my tears.

"It's okay to cry." Erica said.

"No, crying is a sign of weakness."

"Not at all."

"We done?"

"Yeah." She said sighing.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"Do you ever use your study...for sex...with men other than Kevin?"

I could tell my question caught her off guard.

"No. Not at all. I love my husband."

"Then why sound-proof it?"

"I don't know, more privacy I guess."

"Privacy from who, I always thought married couples shared everything with each other?"

"I don't really know. When I built it, Kevin and I were only dating."

"Oh."

"Henry really loves you."

"Yeah, he loves his other two girls too." I said rolling my eyes.

"Yes, but in the sense, their the mothers of his children, not like he loves you."

"Hm." I said. "I don't know why, I'm not even worth fifty-cents."

Erica got off the chair, she walked up to me, now at the door, and she took her index finger and her thumb and adjusted my chin to meet her eye level.

"You...are worth so much more than what you realize."

"Right, that's why my father killed himself and sold me to anyone he could find, and my step-mother beat me, because I'm worth something!"

Erica embraced me. "I'm sorry. I know what's happened to you was wrong, but you've got to understand, you're with a family who loves you now, Kevin's big surprise the other night, was that he was going to announce that he wanted to legally adopt you, but I told him you weren't ready. Henry, loves you so much, he would give the world to you, the only problem is, he can't find a box big enough."

I broke out of her embrace, and wiped my eyes.

"Kevin wanted to adopt me?"

"Yes, and so do I, when you're ready."

"I'm ready."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

I said leaving the room, I found Henry, bent down, facing the door, tying his shoe.

"Henry, were you listening?" Erica asked.

"Not at all. I understand you need your privacy. I was mustering up the courage to do something."

"Tie your shoe?" I asked confused. Erica just smiled and nodded slightly. They were in this together.

He reached behind him, still on one knee and presented me with a ring.

"Will you be my wife?" He said with the biggest smile I had ever seen on him.

"Hold on." I said shutting the door.

"What?" Erica asked.

"Did you guys plan this? I saw the way you looked at him."

"No, but he wasn't subtle with the whole shoe tying thing. What are you going to say?"

I opened the door again, he was still on one knee with the ring box open.

"Yes." I said softly.

He grabbed me in his arms and kissed me, my knees would be weak, had I been on the floor, he was lifting me up in the air.


	13. Chapter 13

I sat on the porch, taking everything in. I was engaged. Me. Erica sat next to me on the bench.

"What are you thinking?"

"Can we not do this, right now?"

"Yeah, sure." She said. "I'll be inside."

Henry walked outside and sat on the bench with me.

"Henry?" I asked.

"Yeah?"

"Couple questions, can we wait to get married until after the trial against my step-mother, I just really need to focus on that right now, I love you, I do, but I can't handle the trial and wedding details at the same time."

"Sure, I was going to ask if you wanted to wait, what's the other question?"

"Do you have sons or daughters?"

"Two boys. Whyatt and Montgomery."

"Montgomery?"

"Yeah, it was Cindy's grand-father's name, and they were very close."

"Oh."

"What do my boys have to do with anything?"

"Well, it's just...if we get married, I'm going to be a step-mother..."

"and you're wondering if you're going to turn out like her?"

"Exactly."

"I wondered the same thing, not about you, but my Dad left us, and while Whyatt was little, I thought about it, how I could be like my Dad, and bail on my, then, only son...or...I could own up to my responsibility, and even if I can't get my sons all the material possessions they want, I can give both of them love and support, sometimes, that matters to kids more than the newest gaming system."

"True, I wish my step-mother felt that way."

Henry only nodded.

"If I asked you to do something, would you?"

"I think that would depend on what it was."

"Please? I need to do this."

"Should we ask Erica first?"

"No, she'd say no, and I need to do this, please?" I repeated with more desperation.

"Come on." He said ushering me to his car. "Let me at least tell Erica we're going out, okay?"

I nodded. A few seconds later, Henry came back out of the house with his keys.

"She said okay, just be home by nine."

"We won't be gone that long."

We started to drive, I refused to tell him where we were going, I only gave him directions. He soon put it together, once we reached the outskirts of town, where there was only one thing to do.

"No." He said. "No."

"Henry, I need to do this."

"I refuse, I'll tell Erica."

"Whatever. I'm doing this. I was going to have you wait here anyway, so whatever, do what you want." I said getting out of the car before he could do anything else.

I stepped into the prison walls. I had no idea what to expect, but I knew if I needed to do this, if nothing else, for closure, but I was also afraid it would re-open old wounds, wounds that because of Erica, and partly because of Kevin, were just beginning to heal.

I saw my step-mother through a pane of glass and could only talk to her through a shiny red telephone.

"What?" She demanded.

"I just didn't know if you had any visitors yet?"

"Nope. People tend to forget you exist when you're in prison."

"Did they say how long?"

"twenty-five to life. What of it?"

"Parole?"

"Nope. But, aren't you glad?"

"Yes." I said sternly. "Can I ask you something?"

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"Why?"

"Why, what?"

"Why all of it?" I asked. "Why did you abuse me, why did you turn your back when my father sold me, just...why?"

"I abused you, because, I don't care about you. I never have. I turned my back when he sold you, because, again, I don't care about you, I never have. What was a few extra bucks?"

"Alright." I said. "What about Victoria and Jessica, why do you love them?"

"They amount to something." She said coldly.

I 'hung up' the shiny red telephone receiver and walked out of the prison.

Erica was waiting for me on the steps.

"Where's Henry?"

"I sent him home, let's go."

I nodded. I didn't want to ride with her, but it was nearly across town, through parts of town that weren't exactly, safe.

"Now."

I sat in the car. Gently crying.

"Did it help?"

"Nope. It made things worse. She just made it clear, that I'm not worth anything. She said she loved Victoria and Jessica because they amount to something, keep in mind, they're in prison." I said. "They're the ones in prison, and I'm still not going to amount to anything, I'm defiantly not worth Henry." I said taking off the ring, and putting it in my pocket.

"I have tried my hardest to help you to understand everything you have to offer to the world, but you know what?" Erica asked.

"What?"

"You've got to learn it for yourself."

"Can, you take me somewhere?"

"Where?"

"The cemetery."

"Gonna make the day even better and talk to your Dad?" Erica asked with a sarcastic tone.

"He's my father, there's a difference between a father a Dad, he's a father, Kevin is a Dad, and no, when I get upset like this, it feels good to talk to my mom."

Erica nodded, and made an abrupt right turn, into the cemetery.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Sorry it's been so long again, school has been really rough this semester. :(

We pulled up near my mother's grave.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"Can I just talk to her alone?"

Erica nodded. "I'll be here."

I sat at her grave. I realized I didn't have any flowers. I shrugged.

"So, I'm engaged. I think. I haven't actually decided yet." I said to the block of stone. I pulled the ring out of my pocket and showed it to the engraved face. "His name is Henry, and he's really nice. He has two kids, Whyatt and Montgomery. I haven't met them yet, I'm kinda nervous. I got out of the house, finally. My history teacher wouldn't let up on the fact she knew something was going on with my step-mom, and she found out what my father did to me, but it's weird. All of this baggage, she still loves me. I mean, I'm living with her right now, and her husband, who's name is Kevin, her name is Erica, and he's a genuine Dad, I don't have to worry about being sold for soda money. They want to adopt me, but I don't know. It would mean, replacing you, and even though I never knew you, I don't want you to be replaced." I started to cry. "if you were here, you'd know what I should do. Course, if you were here, I wouldn't be in the situation I'm in. Huh?"

I walked off. Back towards Erica's car.

"Feel better?"

I nodded.

"I see the ring is back on." She said with a smile.

"Yeah. But I'm still not sure."

"That's okay. You're only fifteen-"

"I turned sixteen yesterday."

"Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"I was scared."

"Of what?"

"You don't want to know what happened on my birthday when I lived with my father and step-mother, okay?"

Erica nodded. "Well, we'll have to do something this weekend to celebrate." She said with a smile. And drove off.

About halfway home, Erica realized something was on my mind, took her long enough.

"What's on your mind, kiddo?"

"Can it stay between us?"

"I can't answer that, until I know what's on your mind."

"I've been thinking about weither or not I wanted to be adopted by you and Kevin, a lot lately."

"Okay, have you made up your mind?"

"Kinda. Would I still be able to see my mom?"

Erica had a confused look on her face. "I don't see why not."

"Well, it's just...my last name would change, wouldn't it?"

"Probably. Honey, I'm confused; what are you getting at?"

"I don't want to forget my mom, and I already don't remember her."

"Ah, I get it now. Sweetheart, Kevin and I would never replace your parents, even if we did adopt you. Besides that, when you marry Henry, your last name will change."

"I wasn't gonna change it, actually, I just haven't told Henry."

"I see."

"Yeah, plus, I'm not even sure I want to marry him."

"Cold feet?"

"Something like that."

"He told me last night, while you were sleeping, he can't imagine spending the rest of his life with anyone else."

"Really?"

"Really."

"But, I'll be a step-mother."

"Ah, there we go." She said pulling into the driveway. "You're nothing like her."

"I know."


	15. Chapter 15

A/n: again, sorry. School is ending in (roughly) 2 weeks. So I should be able to update a little more frequently since we're on the down-hill slide. Thank the Lord, also…I'm really into the ABC-Family show "Switched at birth" yeah, I know, I'm lame but I can't help it, it's good. In a weird way, this story is going to be closing in a few chapters….would you guys read a fanfic based on SAB? Just write weither you will or not when you review J

I sat silently in the car. "What if I am like her?" I asked finally, still sitting in the car, noticing Henry was on the porch with two young boys. The younger one was trying to master a yo-yo toy, and the other was sitting quietly near Henry. "Who are they?"

"One question at a time, I think you need to find out the first one for yourself, actually. I can't answer that for you, even though I don't think you are anything like her. Second, the younger one with the yo-yo is Whyatt, the older one is Montgomery. Come on, I'll introduce you."

"Can I just sleep in the car, with the engine running with the garage door shut? Seems a lot less painful."

"Don't talk like that. Come on." She said ushering me out of the car.

I slowly walked out of the car.

"Henry, you got it from here?"

Henry nodded. "This is Whyatt." He said pointing to the boy with the yo-yo, as Erica walked back inside, while receiving a phone call, and she looked deeply concerned when she looked at the caller ID. Henry shrugged after seeing my face, and told me that the other boy was Montgomery.

I got a text from Erica. "Montgomery is deaf. Thus, he can't speak."

Henry nodded, knowing what it said.

Great, not only was I was step-mother, but I was a step-mother to a special needs child.

Montgomery and Henry signed back and forth, I wish I knew it, mainly so I could tell what they were saying to each other.

"Alright boys, bedtime. You met her." He said with a smile as he signed it.

"Whyatt, I said. Leave the door open, okay?"

"Um, Daddy said it wastes money."

"Just this once." Henry said.

Whyatt nodded, leaving the front door open.

"Sir, I know that, I do - I can't stop her from doing her job -Yes, I want her to find out before the trial too. - No. - Alright, but let me do it in my timeframe. - Yes sir, I'm aware I have less than a week - this'll be harder than Henry telling me he got a girl pregnant, and the conversation we had when it happened again." She said with a slight laugh, that seemed to serious for it really be a joke, and hung up the phone.

"What was that about?"

Henry shrugged. "No idea. Wanna go inside?"

"Sure." He kissed me on top of the head.

"I know her password." He said playing with the edge of my shirt, and smiling.

"Password to what?"

"After last week's little….event in the study, she had a security code put on it, but I know it."

For some reason, even after everything that had happened over the course over the last week. It sounded good.

We waited until Erica went to the bathroom, and snuck in her bedroom, Henry punched in a set of four numbers into the panel on the wall. Soon, a loud alarm went off. Henry took his hand off my side instantly.

"Thought you might try something." Erica said leaning against the bathroom door, it then became obvious she didn't really need to go to the bathroom. She turned off the alarm with a remote in her pocket.

"What? I saw you punch the in the code!" Henry said.

"I know. But, did you see me change it later that night?" She said with a smile.

"Bedrooms?" Henry asked hanging his head.

"For now, yes."

Henry walked off, I stayed standing.

"Go." Erica said.

"Not until you tell me what's going on."

"Now."

"No." I said.

"I don't know enough yet, I don't want to give you false details."

"What am I going to find out at trial?"

"I don't know yet."

"Whatever." I said storming off, "and I don't want to have a heart-to-heart about this, either." I said.

The three of sat on the couch in the living room. Kevin was working.

"I'm not going to ground you guys, either of you. Partly because you didn't actually do "it"" She said saying the word 'it' funny, it gave me chills. Partly, because I knew Henry would try, and Rebecca, no offense, but you're struggling with emotions right now, and you have this insane notion that sex will fix it. That being said….everyone learn their lesson, don't mess with my stuff, especially not my study?"

We both nodded.

"Good. Both of you go on to bed, Henry; how long are the boys staying?"

"I'm not really sure, I have to talk to their moms."

Erica nodded.

I grabbed a small bag, that I noticed I had left on the living room floor earlier that day, and knew Erica might get curious about it's contents. I picked it up, but it slipped out of my grasp. The sound of glass bottles hitting each other reverberated against the heavens. Erica looked at me with the angriest face she had ever seen.

"Sit." She said, taking the bag from me before I could dispose of its contents.


	16. Chapter 16

I sat down on the couch, while Erica opened, and dumped the contents of my bag onto the floor. She counted the bottles of booze silently, twelve. Oi, was I was in trouble, maybe the most trouble I had ever been in, more trouble than the time I had to sleep in the shed.

Of course, Kevin had to walk in from work at the worst possible moment.

"Rebecca here, has been drinking." Erica announced as Kevin sat down.

"Actually, I'm not surprised." Kevin said.

"You're not?" I asked with the same confused expression that Erica had.

"Not at all. You can't have sex; I figured you would turn to something, rather than someone, and it isn't hard for a kid your age to get alcohol."

"Who'd you get it from?" Erica asked.

"My friend Tommy. He's twenty-three, so he gets booze for a lot of kids at school."

"You go to school with this kid….err…man?" Kevin asked.

"Yeah, he's in his seventh year. The school doesn't kick him out because his father is chief of police."

" Hm." Erica said. "Grounding you would be too easy. Kevin, what do you think needs to be done?" Erica asked, still glaring at me.

"I don't know." Kevin said. "Do you have anymore bottles?"

"No. Promise." I said completely aware that I was telling a bold faced lie, I had another six pack under my bed, they would be warm, but I wasn't drinking them for the taste.

"Okay." Kevin said.

"Kevin, go check under her bed." Erica announced.

Kevin walked off.

"I know why, so we won't talk about that….come with me." She said, I could hear Kevin dumping my drinks down the sink. I stayed sitting.

"NOW!" She yelled.

I got up, afraid of what would happen if I didn't. She made me turn around as she punched in the code to the study. "Go." She said gently pushing me inside.

I got in, and stood silently waiting on the next order.

"Sit down." She said pointing to the chairs. I noticed the holes I had made in the walls, and the rest of the damage I had caused from throwing my temper tantrum the previous week had been fixed.

"I told you I was willing to fix the walls." I said.

"Hey, I have an idea….why don't you, shut up, okay?" Erica said rummaging through a shelf, looking for something. I thought maybe I could help, but I didn't want to risk getting in more trouble, so I just sat silently.

She finally came back and sat across from me, with a manila envelope and a covered bowl. I was more curious as to what was in the bowl.

Erica opened the envelope and pulled out a small stack of papers.

"Read it." She said handing me the papers.

It was newspaper clippings, and a police report, an unknown woman had killed a teenage boy, who was walking across the street early in the morning.

"I get it. Don't drink, and don't drink and drive." I said trying to hand them back.

"Keep reading." She said trying to hold back tears.

I kept reading. The police report identified the unknown woman, as, Erica Thompson.

"No." I said, putting the papers on the small coffee table.

"Yes." Erica replied softly. "Eight in the morning too, I was drunk at eight in the morning."

"Why?"

"Same reasons you do it, I suppose."

"Do you still drink?" I asked.

"Heavens, no. I've been going to AA for six years now." She said uncovering the bowl, revealing chips of all colors, one day sober, one week, one month, six months, a year, and every year up to the current year.

"I get it."

"No, you don't. Want to hear the worst part?"

"Not really."

"The teenage boy I killed, was my nephew, I was supposed to take him to school that day, but I was late, because I was drinking, so he decided to walk."

"Sorry."

She nodded. Now crying. "I just don't want you making the same mistakes."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"Well, it's just you're a teacher, don't they do extensive background checks on teachers, no offense, but I can't imagine anyone giving someone a job with kids, who's killed a kid."

"Well, I'm not a teacher."


	17. Chapter 17

"What do you mean?" I asked confused. "Of course you're my teacher."

"No. I'm not. Your teacher had a baby over summer break, but it was premature, so she needed a semester to take care of it."

"Okay, so you're a sub, you're still a teacher?"

"No. You've never noticed my credentials, they're posted above the fireplace there."

I had passed the fireplace a dozen times, and no I had never noticed.

I got up. Erica was still crying.

"Social worker?" I asked.

She nodded.

"I don't understand." I said sitting back down.

"Okay, I am a social worker, there's a reason you're living with me. There's a reason for everything."

"What?" I demanded.

"The police have been investigating your step-mother for a long time, Principal isn't stupid, honey. He knew something was up, that's why you talked to Karen a few times, before the three of us met-"

"Yeah, I know. It was stupid. She doesn't care."

Erica nodded. "She does, she's just unorthodox. That being said, when your teacher had her baby, Oliver decided to bring me in, to pretend to be your teacher, he knew you would probably talk to a teacher over a social worker."

"SO OUR ENTIRE RELATIONSHIP IS BASED OFF A LIE!" I said running out of the study, bumping into Montgomery, who had a pen and pad in his hand. I looked at his note, I was still in the very beginning stages of learning how to sign.

_Bad timing_

_No. What's up? _I wrote back.

_Can I talk to you?_

_Sure._

_Are you going to be my new mom?_

I stood there stunned. I felt Erica's hand on my shoulder. I quickly shut her down, I was still mad at her.

_Do you want me to be?_

_I don't know, my Dad seems happy, I guess that's all that matters._

_Your opinion matters._

_Does it? He's dated a few girls before you, and they ran away after they found out I was deaf._

_I'm not going anywhere._

Montgomery nodded, he seemed pleased with our conversation.

"Neither am I." Erica said.

"Leave. Me. Alone."

I sat at my mother's grave, this time with flowers.

"Mom, she lied to me. I trusted her." I said amidst tears. "What do I do now?" I asked, hoping for some answer.

"Come with me." Someone said from behind me.

"No." I said not having to turn around to see that it was Erica. It wasn't Erica, for once, it was Kevin.

"She send you?"

"No." Kevin said. "I just like seeing my wife and my daughter fight."

"You were in on it, you're just as bad as her."

"I know, we're both sorry."

"Sorry doesn't fix it. You guys are just like every other adult I've known. Liars, that includes Henry." I took off the ring. "Give it back to him, I want nothing to do with him."

"Henry never lied to you."

"But he never told me the truth, did he?"

Kevin shrugged. "Come on. You're needed downtown."

"What for?"

"Some last minute stuff."

"I'm not going to court."

"Do you want to end up back with your step-mother?"

"No. But at least she's honest with me." I said coldly.

"I get it." Kevin said. "I don't like being lied to either."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. I know a guy, I'm gonna move in with him."

"Jake?"

"How do you know?"

"Erica told me you guys had that conversation."

"and she tells me, everything I say will stay with her. Awesome. Either way, I'm doing it."

"Where's he live?"

"You know the shoe factory, on fourth?"

"The abandoned one?"

"Yep."

"Yeah?"

"He lives there."

"Hm, wasn't it condemned? I think I was on that case."

"Yeah, asbestos falls like snow. But his parents hate him, and no one asks questions. Him and four other guys crash on whatever furniture they can find and haul over there with no one noticing."

"Great life."

"Again, Jake won't lie to me."

"Will you just humor me, and come downtown, the three of us, can sit down tonight and talk about it all."

"I'm not talking about anything with her, but yes, I'll come, my step-mother should rot in prison, and I won't let Erica being stupid stop that."

Kevin and I arrived at the police station.

I was in a small room, with two cops, I didn't want to admit it, but I wanted Erica there, she was always able to make me less nervous, even if she was a lying bastard.

"Tell me," the first cop said. "What exactly happened to your biological mother?"

"She died during childbirth, don't you have all this written down?"

"I do. But criminals usually can't keep their story straight, which is why we're here."

"I'm not a criminal."

He sighed. "Look, you're step-mother is filing for a mistrial, on the grounds that she thinks you're insane, and claims that you dreamt everything up, and she never did a thing. So we're just covering all the bases. Now, how did your mother die?"

"During childbirth. It's not as uncommon and people think."

"I know, was it complications, what?"

"Something to do with the uterine lining, children weren't impossible, but they weren't smart. She knew the risks, according to my father, anyway."

"What happened to him?"

"When I was thirteen years old, he went to back yard and shot his brains out."

"Was he married to your step-mother at that point?"

"Yeah, they married when I was five."

"and he sold you as a prostitute?"

"Any chance he got."

"When did the abuse from your step-mother start?"

"About a week after his funeral."

"What kind of things did she make you do?"

"You've seen the movie Cinderella, correct?"

"Sure." He said nodding.

"Times that, by ten, and no Prince Charming."

"I see." He said.

I got up from my chair, removed my shirt and showed them the scars that had been placed on my back, the night was drunk.

"That enough proof?" I asked putting my shirt back on. "Can I go home?"

"One more thing. What about your baby?"

My heart moved to my stomach, and vice versa.

"Can I borrow that steno pad, please?" I asked. The second officer handed it to me.

_Is Erica behind the mirror?_ I wrote on it.

_Yes._

I was screwed.

_I'm going to play dumb, I'll tell her myself later, I don't want her finding out like this, okay?"_

"_Okay, but tell me on here, what happened?"_

"_I was thirteen, knocked up by one of my father's men, I couldn't afford a child, he went to another family._

_Okay._

"What baby?" I asked.

"The child you gave up at thirteen years old."

"My name is Rebecca Smith, my parents were not very creative with names, is it possible, my file got mixed up with another Smith?"

"Oh." He said looking at his file. "That is what happened. Alright, moving on."

We got to the house.

"Kevin, I don't want to see her."

"I know, but if you're moving out, you've got to come in anyway."

"Yeah."

The three of us sat on the couch, I could tell Erica wanted to ask about the baby, but she knew she couldn't ask in front of Kevin.

"I'm moving with Jake, plain and simple." I said.

Erica sighed. "I can't let you do that."

"Sure you can."

"Rebecca, it's not safe." Kevin interjected.

"Neither is living in a house where people lie to each other."

"Rebecca, can I explain?"

"Go. I'd love to hear it." I said sarcastically.

"Statistically, kids will respond better to teachers than social workers in the matter of abuse, I knew you wouldn't talk to me, if you knew I was a social worker, that part, yes, I did lie about, and I'm sorry. I should have told you the moment you came here. That's my regret. But, what I didn't lie to you about, was how much…I….how much Kevin and I love you, how much we want you to apart of this family."

I sighed. "I'm going to pack my things."

"I'll come with you." Erica said.

"No."

"Please?" She begged.

I nodded.

The two of us sat on my bed, like she had intended to happen.

"I was behind the mirror at the police station."

"I know, why do you think I was writing notes back and forth to the cop?"

"I didn't know what you were saying, the cop by me couldn't read them."

"That was the idea."

Erica sat silently.

"Yes, I had a baby." I said. "A boy."

"When?"

"I was thirteen, I got pregnant about a week before my Dad killed himself."

"What happened?"

"Umm….well….-"

"I know WHAT happened, ya' goof-ball, I meant to the baby."

"I adopted him out."

"Do you ever see him?"

"Nope. Closed adoption, figured it was best for everyone."

"With your age at the time, probably."

I nodded. "I don't want to go anywhere." I said. "I know I said I was mad at you, but you were doing your job."

"I don't want you to go anywhere." Erica said.

For once, I was the one to embrace Erica.

"I love you." I said.

"I love you too." She replied.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"Kevin is a lawyer, right?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think he could find what happened to Benjamin for me?"

"Your son?"

I nodded.

"I'm not that kind of lawyer." We heard a voice, Kevin was leaning against the posts of the door. "But, I know a guy; he can look into for you. He owes me a favor anyway."

I nodded.

"We cool?" Kevin asked.

Erica and I both nodded.

"Good." Kevin asked. "Now, will the two of you please come downstairs with me?"

"The adoption was final last week?" Erica said.

"It was?" I asked.

"Yes. Did no one tell you?"

"No." I said.

"Oh well, that explains a lot." She said. "Kevin, what's going on?"

"You'll have to see." He said with a smile, I then noticed he was wearing a suit.

He held my hand as we walked downstairs, which I thought was odd. Until I noticed all the people, and Henry, with Whyatt and Montgomery at his side, Montgomery holding a pillow with a ring on it.

"Go get dressed." Henry said.

"I'm still confused." I said.

Erica sighed. "Isn't it obvious? It's your wedding day."

Kevin handed me back the ring. "Never gave it to him, because I knew what he was planning."

Erica yelled down the stairs.

"Okay, we need hair, dress, makeup, all done in thirty minutes, who's here to help?"

About eight women, who I had never known, swept me off my feet and carried me into the bathroom.

I was ready in 28 minutes.

The dress was beautiful, white, lace, and a satin trim. Erica placed the veil on my head, trying to hold back the tears.

There was a preacher in the living room, standing by Henry.

"Who put all this together?" I asked.

Erica shrugged.

"Henry and I did." Kevin said, walking me down a red carpet.

"No, seriously?" We both asked.

Kevin nodded. "Daddy, has a decorative side too."

"Who gives this man to be with this women?"

"Her…" Kevin paused. Everyone looked at him. I could tell he wasn't sure what I wanted to call Him and Erica yet.

"My Mother and Father do." I chimed in.

The preacher nodded.

After a few minutes of vows, and everything else involved with a wedding, I got to kiss him, my husband.


	18. Chapter 18

It felt good to call him my husband, even if I was only sixteen.

The reception was in the back yard, Henry and I danced in a gazebo sitting on the lawn.

"Hey," I whispered. "I know it's bad timing, but I need to get something off my chest."

Henry nodded.

"I had a son. I was thirteen. Kevin's friend is going to find him for me, if it gets that far, and I'm not sure it will, would you mind, ya' know, having three kids around the house?"

"Not at all. Wouldn't that hypocritical of me?"

"A bit." I said with a laugh. "But, I wanted to ask."

Montgomery and Henry signed back and forth. I caught a bit of it, but mostly the smaller words, like the conjunctions, so I didn't understand any of it.

"So, does this mean….we can ya' know?" He said playing with the white trim around my breasts.

"I guess so." I said, kissing him. "It's okay now that we're married I suppose."

"It was never wrong." He said.

I shrugged.

That night the two of us laid in bed, Henry kissed my chest, the clothing surrounding it had come off in a matter of seconds once were finally alone.

"I love you." He said still fondling my chest with his mouth.

I didn't say anything.

"Everything okay?" He said positing his head to face my eyes, even though his eyes were still on my chest.

"Yeah." I said kissing him.

"Good." He said, resuming kissing my chest. "I love you." He repeated.

I didn't respond again.

"Alight," He said, this time paying attention to my eyes, which had tears rolling down them. "What's the matter? if we get caught it's okay. We're married." He said with a slight laugh.

"It's not that. I'm not worried about that."

"Then what is it?"

"Nothing."

"Then why am I doing all the work?" He said, pulling out, and laying beside me.

"Nothing." I said. "Well, it's just…the trial is tomorrow."

"I see." Henry said. "Well, why don't you talk to Erica?"

"Because I'd rather talk to my husband."

"But, I think Erica understands better. But, yeah, I'll tell you everything will be okay." He said with a smile, as he kissed me.

"Maybe." I said sighing, putting my clothes back on and kissing Henry. "I'll be back." I said exciting the room.

I began to walk downstairs. Kevin and Erica were watching television. I didn't want to interrupt. So I sat on the stairs, until Kevin left.

Five minutes later, I got a text message. I was smart enough to put the phone on silent, so neither of them knew I was there, but that wasn't even good enough.

Erica: _What are you doing there?_

Me: _Waiting on Kevin to leave the room._

Erica: _Something wrong? I know you're not pregnant. LOL_

Me: _No, nothing's wrong, I just need to talk to you, and I don't want to interrupt._

"Kevin?" I heard Erica asked.

"Hm?" He said paying more attention to what was on television.

"Go watch upstairs."

He looked at her with an odd expression. He saw me. He nodded and walked off.

"Sorry." I said. As he walked past me.

"No biggie, but you know, I'm a good listener too." He said with a smile.

"Yeah, I would imagine so, being a lawyer, but….."

He nodded. "I get it." He smiled. "Goodnight." He kissed me on top of the head.

"G'night."

I sat on the couch next to Erica, trying to hide the tears. She had turned off the television, and was facing me.

"Crying isn't bad." She said.

"Yeah. I know." I said blinking away another flood. I laid my head down on her lap, and sobbed. No words were necessary, somehow I knew, she knew, what was wrong. She gently rubbed my head.

I stopped crying, and sat up. "Sorry."

"No worries. I thought this might happen, especially after you had sex. Memories flood back to you?"

"Yeah. Every time."

"It's normal."

"I don't care if it is or not, I want it to stop."

Erica nodded. "I would imagine so. Have you talked Henry?"

"No, I thought you would understand better."

"Maybe, but I'm not your husband."

I nodded. "I told him about Benjamin, he said he wouldn't mind if he was around the house, would you?"

"Are you thinking about re-gaining custody?"

"I don't know….It's a thought, but I'm not sure I could go through it, I mean he's three years old, I may be his mother, but I'm not his mommy."

"I get it. But, no, I wouldn't mind…he'd have to share a room with Daniel though."

"Daniel?"

Erica gently rubbed her stomach.

"Seriously?"

"I haven't even told Kevin yet. So be quiet." She said with a smile.

I nodded.

"Now, I'm going to make the assumption…the crying, and making Kevin leave the room, there's more you wanted to talk about, then Benjamin, am I right?"

I nodded silently.

"So what's up, kiddo?"

"The trial is in 12 hours, 19 minutes and nine seconds."

"I know. I've been counting too."

"I'm not crazy." I said putting my head back on her lap.

"I know. Kevin knows. The jury, will know."

"Speaking of the trial-" We turned around to see Kevin, "Erica, I've been thinking, one way I can convince the jury that she isn't crazy, and dreamt this whole shindig up-"

"Is shindig a legal term?" Erica asked with a smile.

"It is. Would you testify?"

She nodded. "Of course."

"But, that also means getting questioned at the counter as well."

"If it means putting….what's your stepmothers name?" She asked me.

"Ma'am." I replied.

"I'll be questioned by whoever it takes for justice to take place." Erica said blatantly.

Kevin nodded. He walked off.

"What are you most worried about?"

"Going back." I said.

"You're married now. Even though you're only sixteen, that makes you an adult."

I shrugged. "Still. She'll find a way."

"No. Kevin, Henry, and I won't let her."

I shrugged. "I guess I'm just nervous."

"Sweetheart, I'd be worried if you weren't."

I nodded. "I'm going back upstairs."

The next day was the day I'd been dreading for awhile, the it was the trial, I didn't get much sleep. I walked into the courtroom half asleep, and sat the desk across from the judge where Kevin told me to sit. We stood up as the judge entered, I tugged at Kevin's suit. He told me to be quiet, so I quickly wrote something down on the steno pad.

_I've had sex with him. Judge Hollingsworth was one of my Dad's best friends._

Kevin sighed as he read the note.

"Your honor, I request a 30 minute recess, I have come across some new evidence that I need some time to look into."

"What kind of evidence?" the judge asked, winking at me.

"I would rather not say, until I know for sure, what exactly it involves."

"I think the defense has a right to know." The other lawyer said standing up, revealing my step-mother, Victoria and Jessica in prison orange.

"Who made that rule up?" Kevin asked sarcastically. "Please?"

"Fine. But I'm only giving you 15."

"Good enough."


	19. Chapter 19

I sat with Kevin in the lobby of the court room, followed closely by Erica.

"Erica." Kevin said. "I know your intentions are good, but you can't be here right now."

"Why? She's my daughter too."

"I'm not a father at work, and not a lawyer at home."

Erica nodded, seeming to understand, which was good, because I didn't. But I kept quiet.

"Are you sure it was Judge Hollingsworth?" Kevin asked.

"Yes." I said softly.

"Because, if we ask for another judge, you have to be 100 percent sure."

"I am."

"How many times? ballpark it."

"Isn't once enough?"

Kevin shrugged. Pulling out his cell phone. He made a quick call. I wish I could of heard what the other person, whoever it was, was saying.

"Yes - Is she busy? - Well, we've run into some complications with the judge - No, he's fine. - I can't tell you, especially over the phone, the other lawyer is going nuts to try and figure it out. - Can you get me a meeting? - Awesome."

"Come on." Kevin said shoving his cell phone back into his pocket and ushering me into another room of the court house.

"But we have to be back in nine minutes."

"Nope. This trumps everything."

"It doesn't matter. I just want this over with."

"Do you want a judge who will put your step-mother away?"

I nodded, beginning to cry, but stopped the tears.

"Then come with me."

There was a woman standing in the room, looking at a chalkboard with some sort of timeline written on it.

I stared at it, for a moment.

"Ma'am?" I asked. The woman faced me, and shook hands with Kevin.

"You must be Rebecca." She said.

"I am."

"Hi, Holly." Kevin said.

"Come on." Holly said pointing to a table in the room.

"Did Kevin tell you what I do?" Holly asked.

"Social worker?" I asked taking my best guess.

Holly looked at me with an odd expression, and then looked at Kevin.

"She's been seeing a lot of them lately." He replied.

"I would imagine so. But no, I am….in charge of putting judges on benches."

"Oh."

"So, what's wrong with your judge?"

I squirmed in my seat.

"Rebecca, it's okay. Just tell her." Kevin said.

"Am I gonna get in trouble?" I asked.

"Should you be?" Holly asked.

"I don't guess so."

"Then you have nothing to worry about."

~Flashback~

It was December, my thirteenth birthday. Dad told me we were going somewhere special. Snow fell on the ground like a blanket.

We got to the house, it was huge. Way bigger than my house.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"Just be on your best behavior." Dad said.

I knew what that meant.

Judge Hollingsworth opened the door, in his bath towel. My stomach dropped. I promised myself I wasn't going to let him do this to me again.

"Same price as last time?" Hollingsworth asked.

"Yep." Dad said taking a small lump of cash from him, and walking off. "I'll be back…whenever to pick her up, okay, Frank?"

"Take your time." He said pulling me into the house.

Frank closed the door, and pushed my body against the wall, and took my clothes off. My Dad always had me wear flannel, and loose pants, no underwear, or bra were allowed to be on, if we were going somewhere because the only time I went somewhere with him, was to have sex to random men,

Soon, after Frank fondled me against the wall, he sent me to the bedroom, my hands were tied to the headboard, and my feet tied to the baseboard.

I always stared at the ceiling, and pretended I was on the beach with parents who loved me.

~End flashback~

Holly was near tears. So was Kevin.

"So ballpark it, how many times?" Holly asked.

"Ummm…It's not something I wanted to count, but maybe…three…or….four…..I don't know, they all run together after awhile."

"I'm sure. Well, I can tell you right now, there's going to be an investigation about this. Chances are, you aren't his first, nor his last. So give me one second." She said pulling out her cell phone, and put on speaker.

"Alex, hi, it's Holly, I need Judge Frank Hollingsworth arrested."

"Why?" The woman named Alex said from the other end.

"Sex with a minor, and paying for sex with a minor, if you can get him on both charges."

"Probably not. But you're treading rough waters, got enough proof?"

"Not even Charles Manson could dream up the stuff I just heard. I have proof."

"From who?"

"Are you following Kevin Thompson's case at all?"

"On and off, what about it?"

"His daughter is the proof."

"He has a daughter?"

"It's complicated." Kevin interrupted.

"Oh, hi Kevin." Alex said.

"Alright, I'll arrest him, but if I go down, you two are going with me." Alex said hanging up the phone.

"What's-" I started to ask, but I was told to hold on by Holly.

"Yes, security, I have just sent for Judge Frank Hollingsworth to be arrested, he may try and run, block all exists in and out, unless it is Alex Pope, who shall be arresting him any moment." She said into a small walkie-talkie.

"What's-" I tried to ask again. No luck.

"Hi, Mary?" She asked, this time on speaker. "I've just arrested Judge Hollingsworth, can you be my fill-in judge - Yes, I know it's your week off, but don't you want to be part of Kevin's trial, it's the biggest thing since sliced bread."

"Alright, I got you a new judge, and a woman at that. Now, what did you need?"

"What's gonna happen?"

"What do you mean?" Kevin asked.

"Is Kevin gonna be there the whole time?"

"Yes."

"What about Erica? I need Erica there."

"Erica will be there, but she'll be in the seats, you won't actually get to talk to her.

"At all?"

"No, sorry."

"Henry?"

"He'll be with Erica, but no, you can't talk to him either."

"But he's my husband!"

"But he's not directly involved in this case."

Kevin got a phone call.

"Sorry." He said. "Yes - we'd love to - no" He said hanging up.

"That was short, what was it?" I asked.

"Not important right now." He said.

"Okay, Holly, are we good?"

"Yes, as soon as you and I talk, Rebecca, can you step outside?"

I nodded.

"What was the phone call?"

Kevin sighed and spoke softly where I couldn't hear.

He came out a moment later.

"Alright, we're just waiting on your new judge."


	20. Chapter 20

I nodded wanting to know what the short phone call was about, but realized I had bigger fish to fry, it only bothered me because Kevin could stay on the phone for hours.

We sat in the court room, this time with a woman judge. Mary Hanson. She seemed nice, she seemed on my side.

I took the stand, showed the jury my scars, they saw an x-ray of my trauma to my…parts. Something I didn't quite understand, while looking at a picture, but they seemed to, and that's all that matters.

Erica took the stand, she explained that she lied for her job, and yes, she should have told the truth, but was afraid of the truth. She then had to tell her 'story' for some reason. I don't get the legal system.

My step-mother, Victoria and Jessica all took the stand, in a line, my step-mother faked the tears and told the jury how much she loved me, but couldn't figure out how to raise an alcoholic, and that I dreamt the stories up, when she took the booze away from me, but when asked how I got the scars, when my arm could not physically bend to the angle of the cuts, she couldn't think of anything.

Two days. Two days was all there was. I wasn't paying much attention to it all. I just wanted her gone.

"We the jury, find….Kerri Smith, guilty, and recommend her for the longest sentence possible." The jury foreman said. "and Victoria and Jessica are also found guilty, and are recommended for the longest possible sentence at the juvenile detention center."

It was over.

I hugged Kevin, Erica, and Henry.

"Who votes we go out for ice-cream?" Kevin asked.

It was unanimous.

We sat in the ice-cream parlor.

"Okay, Rebecca, I know it's bad timing, but I need an answer." Kevin said.

I nodded.

"We found Benjamin. However, he's in an orphanage."

"Why?"

"The parents you picked, died in a car accident six months ago. Benjamin was with a baby-sitter, technically, because it was a closed adoption, the state didn't have to tell you do you -"

"I want him."

"I thought so." He looked at a police officer, who had a small boy in his arms.

The small boy approached me.

"Mommy?" He asked.

I only nodded. He hugged me, which threw me off guard.

"I knew you wanted me!" He yelled, and automatically sat on my lap. "My other parents, always told me you did."

"I did." I said kissing him on the head.

I signed the paperwork. Ben was mine (again).

We got Ben some ice-cream, he liked chocolate, much like his mother.

I was free. It hit me. I no longer had to go 'home'. I no longer had to do chores that were outrageous. I began to cry.

"Don't cry mommy, Benny is here now." Benjamin said sweetly. I hugged him.

"Mommy is crying because she's happy." I said.

"We all are." Erica said.

At home, I sat with Henry in our bedroom, and Benjamin who was busy with a train set on the floor.

"So what do you think?" I asked.

"I think it's a good idea, let's run it by them."

"Is that what you both want?" Erica asked.

"I think so. We need to." I said. "I love everything you've done for me. I do, but we have a family now, you have a family on the way, we need to move out."

"A family on the way?" Kevin asked.

"Yes. I was going to tell you at dinner, I'm six weeks pregnant."

Kevin's eyes gleamed. He didn't respond.

"Where will you go?" Erica said getting back on topic.

"Henry has found a house downtown. We can afford the mortgage, but we need some help with the down payment."

"How much?" Kevin asked.

"500" Henry said. "I have 250 of it, we've been thinking about this for awhile."

"We'll give it to you, keep the money." Kevin said pulling out his checkbook.

Erica was crying.

"Mom, it isn't the end of the world." I said laughing. "We're moving about a mile."

"I know it's just -" She stopped. "You called me mom."

"Isn't that what you are?"

Erica nodded.

We moved into the new house the next weekend. It seemed so big, with all the boys running around, maybe it was the fact I didn't have Erica looked over my shoulder. Maybe it was that I was finally with my Prince Charming, that it made everything okay.

I was going to show, my own son, Benjamin, and my step-sons, Whyatt and Montgomery, that just because you aren't blood related, doesn't mean you aren't family, and that you can accomplish anything, I was going to give them the love I had never received, the hugs I was never given, and the kisses at bedtime, I longed for.


End file.
